Cover Pierre Rainero, the image, style and heritage director of Cartier (Photo: Cartier)
Pierre Rainero, the image, style and heritage director of Cartier (Photo: Cartier)
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Pierre Rainero, the image, style and heritage director at Cartier for the past two decades, discusses the design style of the maison, pulling inspiration from its archives, and the philosophy that guides him in his role
A magnetic feline charm and innovative, unexpected motifs the likes of the screw and nail that respectively define the Love and Juste un Clou collections are but some of the design signatures that are distinctly Cartier. Timeless in their appeal, each tells a story about the maison’s heritage and is revisited time and again in its various collections.
One iconic design that Cartier has brought back from its archives is Grain de Café, which is centred on a stylised motif of a coffee bean, and seen in a new jewellery collection of earrings, necklaces, brooches, rings and bangles. The whimsical, tactile design first appeared in 1938, when Jeanne Toussaint was the creative director of the house, and soared to popularity in the 1950s, when it was worn and favoured by the then‑newly crowned Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly.
Today, the collection takes shape in lustrous yellow gold creations that tremble with their wearer’s movements, evoking a spirit reminiscent of 1950s glamour. But the decision to reinterpret Grain de Café is not solely a stylistic one. Pierre Rainero, the image, style and heritage director of Cartier, shares more.
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Above Pierre Rainero, the image, style and heritage director of Cartier (Photo: Cartier)
Pierre Rainero, the image, style and heritage director of Cartier (Photo: Cartier)
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Tell us about your role as Cartier’s image, style and heritage director.
Pierre Rainero (PR): Since the beginning, our founder had the idea to create a specific creative language common to all our creations; a notion of style that is intrinsically linked to the idea of heritage. This is also a permanently evolving, dynamic notion of style that continues to be cultivated, so my main role today is to continue this process. This is why I call the Cartier style a living language, and our image is a consequence of this. Our image comes across in our communication, from the architecture of our store to any collateral we put out—and I have a role in all of that too.
How do you decide which archival piece to bring back in a new collection such as Grain de Café?
PR: It’s not something systematic. On a day‑to‑day basis, we use our archives like a dictionary or the grammar with which we create today, but not specifically with one item. More so, it’s linked to the global perception of what the Cartier style is. With Grain de Café, the collection corresponds exactly to the values of [Cartier founder] Louis‑François Cartier. At one point in the late 1930s, he was talking about a new idea with Jeanne. Toussaint and described something as “a very good idea; a mother idea”, meaning a good idea that could lead to many other variations. And Grain de Café is exactly that. It’s a strong idea, not only because it’s distinctive, interesting and beautiful, but also because it can lead to many, many different creations. That was the idea back then and it has continued to prove to be very efficient.
Above A necklace and ring from the Cartier Grain de Café jewellery collection (Photo: Cartier)
A necklace and ring from the Cartier Grain de Café jewellery collection (Photo: Cartier)
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How does the new Grain de Café collection represent Cartier’s style and DNA?
PR: When you look at the work under the direction of [our founder] and Toussaint in the first 70 years of the 20th century, you’ll see that there was a constant effort to blur the frontier between figuration and abstraction when it comes to creating shapes. Grain de Café is a good example of that because you may or may not realise it’s a coffee bean—there’s a strong stylisation. In terms of composition, it’s very rich in terms of possibilities; it can be very simple, whimsical, organic or something very abstract. It can be worn as abundant necklaces or a simple ring and there’s so much versatility. It’s also a “mother idea” that could lead to [incarnations in] many different materials and combinations. The possibilities are endless, and that’s why we consider Grain de Café to be so modern and so contemporary.
How would you define the Cartier style?
PR: There are certain principles and values we always follow, for instance, a sense of proportion and the idea of always playing with light. Volume and mobility are ways of playing with light because the more the piece moves, the more you enjoy a reflection of light around the body. As a jeweller, we should create objects that not only don’t bother you, but also enhance your body—this is intrinsic to our culture. It’s also a very open and curious style because a philosophy at Cartier is we want to create new shapes, new forms, and new visions of what makes an object beautiful. We’re on a constant search for beauty and on a mission to explore new sources of inspiration. That’s why we’re open to other cultures, other civilisations, and also to everything outside of jewellery. When you think about the Love bracelet or the nail, it’s about looking at forms everywhere, to be curious about them, and to look for a new territory in terms of beauty.
Above Cartier Grain de Café ring (Photo: Cartier)
Above Cartier Grain de Café bangle (Photo: Cartier)
Cartier Grain de Café ring (Photo: Cartier)
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What are the values you continue to uphold in keeping the image, style and heritage of Cartier?
PR: Everybody who’s involved in the creative process is very conscious of a responsibility to our predecessors as well as our successors. We want our successors to be proud of what we do today, so we’re very conscious of the weight on our shoulders, but at the same time, we’re thrilled and excited because the values that Cartier carries are so strong, so positive, so open‑minded that you can only feel at ease.
Brands often use the word “iconic” to describe collections and pieces. In your opinion, what makes something truly iconic?
PR: It’s something that’s decided by the customers, not us, and only time will tell if a piece is iconic or not. It’s a question of awareness and also contemporary resonance. I think clients perceive a piece to be iconic if it speaks to many different generations. For me, it also has to be distinctive and have a role in the history of shapes; to bring something different, you know, in the entire universe of jewellery or its form of expression.
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Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
