Teaming up with celebrity stylist Nicola Formichetti, jewellery label La Joie is presenting a line of bejewelled masks for the fashionable and health-conscious set
Joy may be hard to come by in the wake of a pandemic, but jewellery label La Joie is intent on bringing that bit of light back to the world. The solution? A brilliant collaboration with Nicola Formichetti, the celebrity stylist and close collaborator of Grammy award-winning artist Lady Gaga. In a project conceptualised by Tatler Asia, the two creative forces have come together to create a scintillating pandemic essential with a fun twist: bejewelled face masks.
Since the outbreak of Covid-19 more than a year ago, face masks have swiftly become part of our style lexicon. Why then should this most visible accessory of our times not be something precious, stylish and cool? Enter the collaboration between La Joie and Formichetti.
The mask itself is made from silk—long held as one of the best materials for face masks (gentle on the skin and won’t give you “maskne”)—and embellishments of coloured gems joined by delicate links of white gold, making them equal parts opulent and playful. What’s more, it’s also as versatile as it’s beautiful: the bejewelled elements can be removed and worn separately, as a necklace or earrings—a savvy piece of technical mastery that makes the face mask that much more valuable—while the silk face masks can be customised by colour and preference. It’s just one of the thoughtful considerations that the innovative jewellery brand and Formichetti have taken into account in their collaboration, which fuses the worlds of jewellery, art and fashion, and, considering that we will be wearing face masks for the foreseeable future, a worthy investment piece too.
Founded in 2020 by Jean Nasr, La Joie, which means “the joy” in French, is an offshoot of the famed Mouawad jewellery company, and focuses on unique, boundary-pushing designs and a specialisation in coloured gems. On a similar parallel, Formichetti is a formidable stylist known for his daring and visually arresting work. Based in Los Angeles, he is one of those influential catalysts in the fashion and entertainment industries—whether it’s creating fashion-forward magazine editorials, styling Lady Gaga for her explosive Chromatica album, and working with celebrities such as Nikita Dragun and Sia. Recognising the synergies between them, it wasn’t hard at all for Tatler Asia to suggest that the two creative forces combine their distinctive visions for a special collaboration, even in the midst of a pandemic.
Here, we speak to Jean and Jessica Nasr, the father‑daughter duo behind La Joie, and Formichetti about the inspiration behind the collaboration, the challenges of collaborating virtually and the little joys that they found in isolation.
