Crystal Light

Aude Lechère is known for crafting regal baubles that combine brightly hued gemstones with intricate, textured goldwork. Now Baccarat has enlisted the chic Parisienne to design a line of jewelry highlighting its signature material: crystal. The partnership kicks off this fall with Les Sous Bois, a collection inspired by the forest floor. “The sous bois is quite dark, and crystal is light and shiny,” says Lechère. “The contrast was very interesting to me.” The rings, earrings, bracelets, and long necklaces are divided into three groupings: Murmure centers on an oak-leaf motif; Mystère casts the crystal as a dewdrop on curled metal leaves; and Merveille features honeycomb-like structures. For Lechère, working with the ultrafine colored glass proved a welcome challenge. “Because the crystal is much more delicate, you really have to wrap it—you can’t set it like a stone,” she says. “What was in the beginning a constraint became an advantage.”

Lechere: courtesy of Baccarat. Jewelry: Hannah Whitaker.