Francesca Amfitheatrof is exiting Louis Vuitton after seven years as artistic director of jewellery and watches, the house confirmed on Thursday.
“After a successful collaboration of seven years on the creation of jewellery and high jewellery collections, Louis Vuitton and Francesca Amfitheatrof have mutually decided to separate ways. With her remarkable talent and limitless creativity, Amfitheatrof has undoubtedly left an indelible impression on the legacy of jewellery at Louis Vuitton,” the company said in a statement.
“I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to create the jewellery and high jewellery collections for Louis Vuitton. After seven wonderful and intense years, I am so proud of these collections and the legacy I leave behind as I embark on exciting new endeavours, which I will be announcing soon,” Amfitheatrof added.
The designer was born in Japan, before growing up in New York, Rome and then London. In 2013, she became Tiffany’s design director, launching iconic lines such as the Tiffany T and Hardwear that are still fundamental sales drivers. She joined Louis Vuitton in 2018, where she has been behind the success of LV Volt, the maison’s unisex line.
Her high jewellery collections impressed, notably Deep Time, presented in Greece, and Awakened Hands, Awakened Minds in Saint-Tropez. She also introduced Les Gastons Vuitton, a fine jewellery collection aimed at men, last year.
Louis Vuitton generated €22.8 billion in sales in 2024, according to Morgan Stanley estimates. The house is relatively new to the jewellery field, having entered fine jewellery in 2001 and high jewellery in 2008. Jewellery is a small part of its overall business, though still sizable in relative terms and with big potential. Jewellery — and high jewellery in particular — are also key to maintaining exclusivity (while the world’s largest luxury brand, which is also present in categories like fragrance and chocolate, continues to grow) and engaging with its highest spending clients.
Amfitheatrof was one of the house’s three artistic directors, sitting alongside Nicolas Ghesquière for womenswear and Pharrell Williams for men’s.
“For the time being, the house will continue designing and conceiving its jewellery and high jewellery collections internally while Francesca Amfitheatrof will announce her new endeavours in due course,” Louis Vuitton said.
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