Loro Piana Confounds Logic With Jewellery Collection.

Pictured here are the offerings from Loro Piana's newest release, a jewellery collection.  The mind immediately jumps to why a business created for the express purpose of manufacturing fabrics feels that jewellery is within its purview.  However, lets step aside from that momentarily, and consider the pieces themselves. 

They are without exception, entirely unexceptional.  Bland, dull, and ordinary pieces that wouldn't look out of place in a small high-street jewellery store.  But this isn't surprising, as Loro Piana is, as often noted, owned by LVMH, and what LVMH does with everything it touches is turn them into sterile clones of its flagship Louis Vuitton.

There's another item underpinning this move, which is the desire that all brands now have to be 'houses'.  To sell all things for all people.  The casual observe might cite Louis Vuitton and Hermes and mention how they do this.  Yet, Hermes started as a saddle maker, a craft requiring exceptional skill, that can be turned to any other luxury manufacture.  And Louis Vuitton, as much as we malign them, have the same background as a trunk manufacture.  LVMH's problem is thinking that their excellence can be applied to every brand in their portfolio.  It can't, and they should appreciate the value of specialisation in the businesses they buy.

Perhaps you disagree?  If so, these pieces are available now from Loro Piana's website's and stores ranging from £750 to £3,000.