Pearly Treat

>> Even if you're not one for the facts and figures side of fashion that Business of Fashion does so well in condensing, hopefully you'll find this Digital IQ Index ranking published by the thinktank L2 somewhat fascinating.  Its criteria for qualifiying for its 'Genius' level ranking is pretty stringent and whilst I'm not sure I completely agree with every issue each brand is marked down upon (according to this report, the likes of Versace, BalencIaga, Chloe, Givenchy and Prada are deemed 'challenged' or 'feeble' in their digital IQ), it's a fairly insightful guideline.  That said, one of the quibbles I'd have is whether actual digital content that gets internet traction (such as Prada's produced videos or Balenciaga's newly redesigned site which features archive material) is looked at.  One of the ranked brands Christian Dior has been marked a middling 'average' grade and yet I wonder whether L2 have taken into account instances such as Dior's latest animation that just premiered on Nowness featuring the Mise en Dior necklace designed by creative director of costume jewellery Camille Micelli (previously at Louis Vuitton) which I quite fancy as a bit of online diversion.  

It's a fun pinball fest that's designed to be both frivolous and classic at the same time, referencing iconic Dior-isms whilst illustrating facets of how the necklace is made such as the gold lurex thread that is knotted in between the gold-cupped pearls in the traditional manner.  I got on the phone very briefly to speak to Micelli to find out a little bit about the origin of this necklace and it turns out the inspiration came from a Ren√© Gruau illustration of a swan for the perfume Miss Dior's launch in 1949 where the black velvet pearl necklace then became an oversized piece where the pearls vary in size and are encased in gold cups.  This reference to the archives doesn't stop here as the video's use of Mozart's Symphony No.25 is something that was influenced by the fact that Monsieur Dior listened to a lot of Mozart and Beethoven whilst working in the atelier.    

At a time when Dior's ready to wear and haute couture proposition is in an caretaker/transition phase, I quite like the diversion to the other areas of Dior's offerings, something that reveres the past and looks to the future in a less-than-a-minute (quite right for our ever-shortening attention spans…) video spurt, especially one that features the spine-chilling strings of Mozart.   

Arcade Couture: Mise en Dior on Nowness.com.