【Paris, Franc】Jewelry: “Jewelry Consumers Are Seeking Reference Points”

This is the conviction of Morgane Pouillot, Head of Foresight and Creative Strategies at LeherpeurParis. Indeed, many jewelry houses constantly revisit, or even reinvent, their classics. Art Deco, which still features in contemporary creations, is proof of this. This movement—whose centenary Paris is currently celebrating—aimed to break with the past while drawing inspiration from Cubism and the cultures of distant civilizations, which did not prevent it from laying the foundations of modern jewelry at that time. Continuing on the path of innovation therefore remains possible. Provided, as Morgane Pouillot further advises, to

Morgane Pouillot, a trend hunter, assists brands and companies in the creative industries in building sensitive narratives and new imaginaries that resonate with the perspectives and behaviors of the era.

In an era lacking meaning, drowned in ambient noise, consumers are seeking reference points and familiar imagery to connect with. Faced with this growing need, brands delve into their archives, ranging from simple reissues to integrating them into a dynamic process of reinvention.
By reconnecting with their past, brands reactivate a living memory; the archive acts as an anchor: it connects to an era, a creator, a narrative while restoring meaning and emotional attachment to the product relationship. In a context marked by speed and uncertainty, turning to the past becomes a form of response to an uncertain future, a nostalgia that acts as survival by seeking timeless, secure values.
This valorization of the past is driven by a new generation of consumer-collectors who favor iconic and timeless creations, shifting the impulse of consumption towards the quest for a historically referenced product, a kind of cultural Grail.
Hence the importance of archives…
Absolutely. There is simultaneously a real need to redefine what is precious today: exploring archives, the past, restoring craftsmanship is also a starting point for definition. In a buzz era where channels are saturated, archives embody a form of depth, immutability, authentic rootedness, valuing transmission. Heritage and legacy become principles of continuity in a fragmented world. When everything moves too fast, archives embody a form of authority and permanence.
Furthermore, given the frantic pace and volume of messages, especially in fashion creation, it has become difficult for designers to focus and produce a completely original narrative. Therefore, drawing from archives acts as a principle of credibility that always works. Provided, of course, not to fall into easy automatisms to the detriment of new creative expressions.

Nevertheless, I feel we are in an era of spiritual emptiness where collective narratives are collapsing. There is therefore a real need to rediscover meaning and symbolic depth, resonance. A necessity to explore territories—creation, among others—that take us out of the everyday, that fulfill or, through their ability not always to be connected to reason, transcend us. In this chaotic and somewhat anxiety-inducing context, creation acts as a breath, universal not in its interpretation, but in its ability to resonate intimately with each individual, to transport elsewhere, to dazzle.
I think of the example of the flame of the Olympic cauldron by Mathieu Lehanneur which, through its strength and creative form, captivated crowds, transforming the Tuileries Garden into a place of pilgrimage, a space for contemplation, similar to temples where worship is practiced. It is in the absence of understanding, in what it can provoke, that creation brushes against the sacred. It is not about sanctifying it, but erecting it as something necessary, fundamental in these times of chaos. Creation, like culture or beauty, is not superficial. Although this is what disappears quickly in constrained times, these fields, as much as they allow us to understand the world, help us to traverse eras, connect individuals, create spaces of lightness and escape, necessary for survival.

Currently, they face a noisy and saturated market to which they impose their new codes. New generations of jewelry consumers easily play with boundaries to make them increasingly porous, whether those of gender (the men’s jewelry market is more than fertile ground, driven by new generations that disregard codes), form and function, luxury and accessibility, status and fantasy, craftsmanship and digital. They compose a new language at the intersection of all demarcations.
They easily mix referenced and status pieces at a high cost with designer pieces, more whimsical, more playful, that experiment with forms and materials. They are also avid users of the second-hand market, which has become a reflex. They are as sensitive to the eco-socio-responsible commitments of brands as to their ability to be forces of creative propositions.