First of Its Kind, Last of Its Kind tells the story of an exceptional accessory and the archival piece that inspired it.
In the 1660s, decorative brooches and ribbons began appearing on the bodices of women’s clothing in Europe. A century later, Marie Antoinette wore frilled trimmings on her coronation robes and Madame de Pompadour, the chief mistress of King Louis XV, tied lacelike collars around her neck. When Van Cleef & Arpels opened in Paris’s Place Vendôme in 1906, one of its first orders was for a gem-encrusted bow-shaped brooch. In 1918, the house produced a black onyx and diamond broche noeud, or knotted pin; this was followed in 1926 by a round, Art Deco-inspired clip with a fluttering band of diamonds that mimicked a swatch of silk. During World War II, the company, unable to obtain as many precious stones, improvised with pendant bows featuring intricate gold lacework that resembled flowers and tulle fringes.