Hermès reimagines colour in the Les Formes de la Couleur high jewellery collection

Hardy explains: “The combination of a colour and a shape sets the mind thinking: if red is [a] square, what is that square saying? What memories, what emotions does it stir?”

From these foundational explorations, the collection evolves into chapters such as Fresh Paint, where Hardy blurs the lines between artist and jeweller. Here, the impression is not merely of colour but also movement—gems are placed with such precision that they ripple across the skin like brushstrokes on a canvas. The intricate jewelling forms deep, nuanced arabesques of colour, as if the gems themselves are in motion, caught in a mirage of shifting light. The sensation of movement, texture and depth permeates each piece, showcasing Hardy’s genius at transforming solid materials into something almost ethereal.

The Fresh Paint creations are as much about texture as they are about hue. Each one seems alive with colour, as if the jewels are vibrating, creating an illusion of energy and transformation. In Hardy’s hands, the collection is no longer about merely adorning the body—it is about experiencing art in its most tactile, intimate form.

Mastery in Motion

Perhaps the most technically awe‑inspiring chapter is Arc en Couleurs, where jewellery moulds seamlessly to the body. Articulated bracelets and necklaces move with supple fluidity, embracing the curves of the wearer. Here, Hardy’s mastery of technical precision is on full display. The colour gradient of one of the necklaces, for example, is a breathtaking visual journey with soft pastels blending into vibrant hues, created using nearly 1,400 individually selected stones. The effect is dreamlike, as if jewels whisper dreams into existence.

The fluidity that underscores the Arc en Couleurs chapter speaks to Hardy’s philosophy of freedom—freedom of movement, freedom of expression. With their intricate craftsmanship and remarkable lightness, these jewellery pieces feel as though they were made not just to be worn, but to be lived in.

Then there is Supracolor, a chapter that feels almost hypnotic in its use of light and structure. Here, Hardy explores the diffraction of light waves, playing with the transition from black to white and the prismatic bursts of colour that emerge through rutilated quartz. Epitomising this is a necklace worn on strands of black and grey spinel beads on one side and moonstone beads on the other, anchored by a triangle‑cut rutilated quartz at its centre. Rimmed with diamonds and featuring a triangle‑cut diamond at its heart, this dazzling focal point—from which strands of beaded gemstones in various colours dangle—catches and fractures light in mesmerising ways.

Architectural, precise, yet somehow organic, the Supracolor creations are an invitation to experience jewellery as a dynamic interaction with light itself. In Hardy’s hands, gemstones are no longer static; they become participants in a conversation between light, colour and form.

In the Color Icons chapter, Hardy pays homage to Hermès’s rich heritage by reinterpreting some of the house’s icons—the Chaîne d’Ancre, the Kelly and Birkin bags—transforming them into vibrant, gem‑encrusted works of art. Here, Hermès’s past meets its future as traditional symbols are revitalised through Hardy’s exploration of colour and geometry. The result is a chapter that feels both timeless and entirely modern, bridging the gap between the house’s storied history and its innovative spirit.

What sets Les Formes de la Couleur apart is not only its visual splendour, but also the depth of thought behind each piece. Hardy drew inspiration from the realms of art, music, design and even psychology, exploring how we associate different colours and shapes with memories, emotions and symbols. The playful asymmetry of the Color Vibes chapter, for instance, challenges traditional notions of balance, while Color Flash employs pixelated geometric shapes to reference the digital world. These pieces transcend jewellery, standing as an invitation to think, feel and engage with colour in new ways.

Depth aside, an overriding sense of joy permeates the collection. Hardy has crafted a universe where wonder and delight coexist with technical brilliance—a realm where the familiar becomes extraordinary and where each piece narrates a story of transformation.

With Les Formes de la Couleur, Hermès has created more than just a collection; it has crafted a journey, an odyssey through colour, form and emotion. Showcasing jewellery in an entirely new light, the collection stands as a testament to the power of imagination and craftsmanship; a celebration of the endless possibilities of colour and a reminder of the joy that arises from rethinking the ordinary. With this dazzling display of artistry, Hermès once again affirms its position at the forefront of innovation in luxury design

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