With its bold, colorful pop-up at The Shops at Crystals in Las Vegas, Van Cleef & Arpels (VCA) is going outside of its boutiques to connect with consumers, a first for the fine jewelry brand.
VCA is celebrating its Perlée collection with what it describes as an immersive installation at the Bar Centro, which runs through Nov. 22. At 750 square feet, the display feels like a bit of Pop Art with unique graphics, a blue-and-green color scheme, and a special lighting concept.
The brand partnered with artist Arthur Hoffner to create some storytelling around the Perlée collection. A French craftsman who has worked with VCA since 2018, Hoffner created the geometric totems that connect with animated spheres within the space. These forms echo the shapes and beads of the Perlée collection.
“There is a very strong correlation between my work and the imagery evoked by this collection, its colors, its presentation,” Hoffner said in a statement. “The interaction between moving shapes and joyful colors resonates with my own explorations.”
When clients first arrive, they can do a quick photo op—think of it as a selfie station for the jet set. Inside, visitors can walk among displays of the Perlée collection as well as longtime VCA favorites.
These salon spaces, along with what VCA describes as a refined library, set up the main display. On select days, VCA master jewelers will be on-site to demonstrate brand techniques in person.
Online, VCA created a kind of Perlée game users can access through a QR code. Using your finger, you can trace the shapes Hoffner created in the pop-up display with a VCA-style bead—definitely something more playful for the venerable brand to offer. All along the route, the user sees Perlée jewelry for their consideration.
The choice of location for this installation also was intentional—VCA wanted a bit of that Las Vegas vibe, it told WWD.
“Las Vegas is a city defined by energy, imagination and celebration, which are qualities that resonate with the spirit of the Perlée collection,” Helen King, president and CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels Americas, told WWD.
VCA debuted the Perlée collection in 2008, but its origins go back as far as the late 1940s. The golden beads, which VCA said are prized for their ability to capture light and amplify brilliance, first appeared in its Couscous collection.
The brand expanded its beadwork into sculptural forms, including its beloved animal clips in the shapes of dogs and does. In 1963, VCA started using its beads with colored gemstones, resulting in its Twist creations. These pieces reflect the era’s attraction to round forms, volume, and contrasts, VCA said.
And, of course, the beads appear on the perhaps most signature of VCA’s works, the Alhambra motif. As a result, the beads have become a “timeless signature” of the brand and a great partner in its designs.
Top: Van Cleef & Arpels went out of its comfort zone to do a Las Vegas pop-up experience and online game to honor its Perlée collection. (Photos courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels)
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