Wonder Woman: Celebrating Femininity with the Louis Vuitton Mythica High Jewellery Collection

Be the hero of your own story. Perhaps it’s a cliched sentiment, but it has the power to stir something in all of us whenever we’re feeling stuck in a rut or simply lacking inspiration. Louis Vuitton is tapping into this same notion for its new Mythica High Jewellery collection, which is described as a celebration of its feminine muse “as both heroine and author of her own story”. It encompasses the idea that we’re all on a self-directed adventure, fraught with challenges, but ultimately leading to “revelation, transformation and victory”. If you’re wondering how such lofty ideas can be communicated through precious metals, diamonds and fabulous coloured gemstones, continue reading…

The Louis Vuitton Mythica High Jewellery collection comprises 110 pieces, organised into 11 themes, each featuring variations of coloured stones and LV Monogram cut diamonds. Each ‘chapter’ is designed to build on the former to create a story that incorporates principles of self-empowerment, such as finding direction, embracing courage, believing in fate, and having the fortitude to persevere under pressure.

Within this mix are arrow and chevron motifs, the latter being quite characteristic of the Maison, and some sensational zircons – a notable choice considering these gems are infrequently used in high jewellery. More highlights of the collection include fluorescent diamonds with a fairytale-inspired blue glow, large-sized aquamarines, a 17.18 carat Colombian emerald, orangey-yellow diamonds, and a beautiful necklace featuring a complete chromatic spectrum of diamonds. According to the brand, each stage of the collection helps the Louis Vuitton woman (otherwise known as the ultimate heroine) find her purpose, fulfil her destiny and “embrace her personal journey with brilliance, confidence and self-identity”. Let’s start at the beginning of the Mythica story and pick out some extra special pieces that really sing.

Conquest

And so it begins with a spark. The Conquest theme is all about finding that initial push towards greatness, brought to life with a repeating, three-dimensional arrow motif. The centrepiece is a dynamic necklace, set with 21 rubies totalling 21.86 carats, framed by baguette-cut diamonds and onyx for added impact and contrast. Requiring a total of 1,200 hours of work, the necklace is topped with a central ruby, paired with a 1.07-carat LV Monogram Star-cut diamond.

Elsewhere, the Conquest chapter contains a further 10 pieces, all in 18k white and yellow gold – a House signature – adorned with yellow diamonds. A particularly striking example is a 4.05-carat LV Monogram Star-cut yellow diamond, set in a ring, which can be worn alongside a brooch, bracelet, and a pair of earrings, all with the same mix of yellow hues, black onyx, and white diamonds.

Totem

All good heroines are spirited; they know their own hearts and minds and aren’t afraid to follow their instincts. Totem jewels are “an expression of intuitive power and protection,” according to Louis Vuitton, which has surprised with swirling, almost historical shapes in yellow gold. Subtle, almost Celtic themes are juxtaposed with House signatures, such as the chevron shape and combinations of yellow and white gold, across a necklace, amphora-inspired pendants, rings, and even a pen, sculpted entirely in gold.

Fortitude

Most myths are built around a brave and noble warrior following their heart to achieve greatness. In the Fortitude chapter, Louis Vuitton embraces this strength of character with strong lines, geometric forms, and surprising combinations of custom-cut diamonds. The Fortitude necklace is the star, blending a signature LV rope of diamonds with snow pavé and a Damier layout of diamonds, all leading the eye to a cushion-shaped, step-cut Cambodian zircon weighing 82.14 carats. A second, triple-strand necklace is similarly bold, with cushion-shaped, step-cut zircons ranging from 25.01 to 6.03 carats, framed with over 50 carats of diamonds. A ring set with a 26.17 carat blue zircon completes this tale of determined bravery and inner strength.

Enigma

Louis Vuitton suggests that “no quest would be complete without a sense of mystery” as the precursor to its next suite of jewels, aptly named Enigma. Here, we see a ribbon-like necklace with the graphic Damier (checkerboard) pattern, entwined with looping custom-cut diamonds, and dripping with extra-large cabochons and step-cut stones: five aquamarines totalling 70.18 carats, four greyish-blue cat's-eye topazes for 80.5 carats, and a head-turning 127.66-carat cat's-eye topaz cabochon.

A second necklace has a similar aesthetic, complete with a twisting rope of diamonds wrapped around a double set of diamond lines and a statement cascade of three gemstones: a 52.55-carat aquamarine and two cat's-eye topazes of 29.69 and 27.12 carats, all topped with a 3.56-carat LV Monogram Star-cut diamond. Together, they create a “fluid dialogue of volume and depth,” requiring more than 1,532 hours of work and transformable into 10 wearable pieces. A ring and two pairs of earrings complete the suite perfectly.

Spell

Here, the story takes a more daring turn, embodied by fluorescent, blue-tinged diamonds that are ignited only under UV light. These carefully selected stones are said to reflect “the heroine's intuition and inner light,” and are paired with Imperial topaz and moonstones for a splash of complementary colour. Among the jewels on offer is a necklace with an LV Monogram Star cut diamond, round cat’s eye moonstones totalling 65.97 carats, and elongated pear-shaped topazes for a total of 44.13 carats. Each gemstone ‘disc’ is outlined with black ceramic for contrast, creating what is arguably the most ‘mythic’ jewel in the entire Mythica High Jewellery collection. Fans of this contemporary aesthetic can also tap into five rings, two pairs of earrings and a bracelet to complete their futuristic ensemble.

Mesmerism

The story continues with the idea of femininity as a kind of superpower, incorporating flowing curves and intricate lace-like assemblages of step-cut and bezel-set diamonds. The most prominent example is a textural, three-dimensional necklace, hung with a 17.18 carat Colombian emerald and topped with a 3.03 carat LV Monogram Flower-cut diamond. A further three necklaces offer similar wow factor, including a long chandelier, a stylish choker, and a sensual, ribbon-like design, all of which required thousands of hours of painstaking craftsmanship. This suite is completed with another 13 pieces, each combining emeralds of exceptional colour and clarity with unusual diamond layouts.  

Whisper

In this chapter, Louis Vuitton imagines our heroine mummering a silent prayer or affirmation before taking the leap and discovering her destiny. The theme centres on swirling contours of diamonds, all leading to vibrant blue sapphires that play like moments of calm amid the chaos. The highlight is a remarkable necklace, appearing like a puff of air with diamond-set whorls that sweep towards an ultra-rare 11.56 carat royal blue pear-shaped step-cut sapphire, matched with a 4.11 carat D-colour, flawless LV Monogram Star-cut diamond. A further 13 jewels continue this cloud-like motif, including three airy necklaces, six pairs of earrings (including red carpet-ready ear cuffs), and two bracelets.

Sirius

Named after the brightest star in the night sky, the Sirius suite blends intense shades of blue and green gemstones into both classical and statement pieces. The hero is the Sirius necklace, set with a constellation of six tourmalines, three aquamarines and four tanzanites totalling 249.31 carats. Each mineral is housed within a “pavé stone shell”, dusted with emeralds, sapphires and tourmalines on the reverse, and bound to the next with a textural diamond rope. It is wonderful to see such attentiveness paid to the reverse of this jewel, and not just its vibrant front, so bravo to Louis Vuitton! The chapter concludes with a further nine pieces, including three rings, four pairs of earrings and two magnificent aquamarine and tourmaline bracelets set among a mesh of sapphire, emerald and tourmaline pavé stones.

Fortune

There’s a small part of all of us searching for fame and fortune, if only to be able to afford precious high jewellery treasures! The Fortune chapter in the Mythica collection evokes this idea of the ‘ultimate reward’ through 21 pieces, making this the largest of all 11 themes, set with golden pearls and yellow diamonds in 18k yellow gold. Two spectacular necklaces are brought to life here, including a bold, high collar necklace set with 4,700 pavé diamonds in majestic rows, graduating from fancy vivid orange to yellow to white. It’s perfectly finished with a 5.12 carat D-colour, internally flawless, LV Monogram Star-cut diamond, marking the end of 2,860 hours of craftsmanship.

The second necklace features 25 golden pearls, totalling 511.28 carats, poised between two contours of orangey-yellow and white diamonds, in what must be one of the best chokers launched by any Maison in recent years. One can only imagine the sensation of wearing this alongside other Fortune creations, which include eight pairs of earrings and seven rings.

Triumph

The Mythica High Jewellery collection has a few surprises up its sleeve, especially in the Triumph suite. The pieces feel decidedly un-Louis Vuitton, with phoenix feathers immortalised in hand-engraved yellow gold, wrapped around ribbons of white diamonds. The House turned to a master artisan to blend matte sablé engraving on one side of the feathers with a high shine finish on the other, which is especially evident in a sensational long necklace. This knockout piece is fully pavé-set with 1,350 diamonds and can be worn with the bracelet, two pairs of earrings, or two rings that also bear the Triumph name. A second necklace, an elegant choker design, completes the suite.

Victory

The Mythica story concludes with good defeating evil and the heroine emerging victorious from her trials and tribulations. Louis Vuitton has chosen to honour this with a laurel-crown motif, set with fancy-coloured diamonds in almost every conceivable hue. The Victory necklace bursts with 37 coloured diamonds, painstakingly sourced and selected for various sizes and tones, including oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples and pinks, totalling 19.71 carats. They culminate in a three-carat fancy vivid orange-yellow pear-cut diamond, suspended from a 3.88-carat LV Monogram Star-cut diamond.

The rest of this chapter is similarly beautiful, including a ring set with a 3.31-carat fancy vivid pink pear-shaped diamond, a 1.01-carat fancy intense yellowish green diamond, and a 2.08-carat LV Monogram Star cut diamond, alongside two pairs of earrings also set with fancy vivid diamonds.

If you are ready to take on the world, the Louis Vuitton Mythica High Jewellery collection is the precious armour you need to succeed. There are plenty of pieces to admire here, but what is most impressive is the sheer ambition on display, including some outside-the-box designs that don’t feel immediately ‘Louis Vuitton-esque’ at first glance. It’s fantastic that a brand with such a storied history and signature style can still surprise and delight… congratulations must go to Francesca Amfitheatrof and her incredible talent.