In 1924 when French poet and artist Jean Cocteau had reached out to his friend Louis Cartier for a unique ring design, no one knew how it would result in the creation of a historic piece of jewelry. The first edition of the intertwining three-band ring sat on Cocteau’s pinky finger to later become a fashion symbol for generations to come. Cartier’s Trinity has a fascinating history. For a piece of jewellery so simple, the following garnered by the Trinity collection is massive. Who would’ve guessed it was the birth of a cult classic jewellery piece adored by icons like Princess Diana and Grace Kelly.
The Trinity can easily spearhead the quiet luxury movement irrespective of it being born exactly a hundred years ago. This isn’t a magnificent or grand jewel, but rather, it’s the simplicity of it all that has attracted people from all walks of life, including Gen Z. Even Blackpink’s Jisoo couldn’t resist its charm when she sported two of the Trinity rings in her braids. The three gold bands—white, yellow and pink can be interpreted in various ways. At the heart of it is the spiritual significance and reference to the Holy Trinity, but at the same time, the three interlocking bands symbolise love, friendship and fidelity and can be read as a homage to the Cartier brothers Louise, Pierre and Jacques.
It’s only once in a while that we see a seamless coming together of poetry and practicality in a piece of jewellery. It has a Shakespearean quality to it, in that it remains timeless and resonates with humankind across cultures through the ages. The design gives enough space for interpretation which makes it stand out. As one would like to imagine—you don’t wear the Trinity; the Trinity wears you.
The Trinity adorned global brand ambassadors of Cartier including Blackpink’s Jisoo and Hong Kong’s Jackson Wang alongside Zoe Tay, Fann Wong, Jeanette Aw, Desmond Tan, Lawrence Wong, Chantalle Ng, Carrie Wong, Glenn Yong, Chen Yixin, Benjamin Kheng, Jasmine Sokko, Jasmine Sim, Mae Tan, Scha Alyahya and Daiyan Trisha at the 100th anniversary celebration earlier in July in the heart of Singapore’s Arts House building.
As the champagne and wines from Bordeaux flowed through the night and the celebrations began, the three-day event brought together media personalities, celebrities and Cartier lovers. It was a homage to a genderfluid jewellery design that changed the understanding of intimacy and love.
The Parisian Maison showcased the extensive hundred-year timeline of the Trinity collection which added an important context to the celebrations and gave a glimpse of the rich history of the Trinity and its importance to the brand. The pop-up included the vision of Cartier, the contribution of the icon Jean Cocteau and a new addition—the Centenary Collection—which added more designs and sizes to the already timeless repertoire.
What made the celebration special was Cartier’s collaboration with various artists who presented their interpretation of the Trinity through their performances and visual arts. Some like Ryan McGinley used photography while others interpreted the idea of three through the depiction of generational familial bonds and various forms of digital and tactile art.
The event kicked off with a special dance choreographed by Rafel Bonachela followed by a piano performance and beatbox by Singaporean artists Churen Li and Dharni. Musicians Benjamin Kheng and Jasmine Sokko together took the party to a crescendo and the celebration culminated with the 700 guests dancing the night away to singer and Thai brand ambassador Jeff Satur’s music.
The cherry on top was ace Indian designer Rimzim Dadu’s bespoke saree crafted especially for the exhibition. Dadu’s classic structured garment reimagined the Trinity through the lens of the Indian saree which contributed to the ceremony in its unique way. “This collaboration with Cartier stands at the intersection of art, design, and fashion. I was thrilled when Cartier asked me to create an art piece inspired by the iconic Trinity ring. This ring is a fine example of craftsmanship. Its colours, structure, and fluidity are just so perfect. It’s no surprise that it’s been cherished for over 100 years”, says Dadu.
“Creating a piece that honoured this legacy was both a huge challenge and a great responsibility. Central to our discussions was the desire to merge the brilliance of the ring with our futuristic textiles. We aimed to honour the past while celebrating the future. The result is the Trinity sculpted saree!”
As the celebrations came to an end, the guests across the globe walked away with a sense of being a part of Cartier’s historic legacy and Trinity’s timeless relevance as it continues to be people’s favourite for almost a century now.
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