LONDON — Heristoria, the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton platform of archival and historical pieces, has taken a suite at The Cadogan in London until Monday to showcase the art of gifting for the festive season.
Invites to shop at the suite are by appointment only to guests of the hotel and VIP clients of the LVMH-owned brands.
The London suite features an edit of 21 items with a helping hand from the archival departments of Givenchy, Fendi, Tag Heuer and Chaumet.
The pieces range from 150 pounds for a Patou silk square to 23,000 pounds for a Tag Heuer Monaco 1133B watch.
A yellow gold and diamond heart pendant from Chaumet.
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“We choose to work by appointment and to have this very one-to-one approach because we want to take time with a client to create an emotion and to have time to share the stories [of the pieces],” said Laurence Mayer, cofounder of Heristoria, in an interview.
All the items in the edit have been authenticated and then taken through a meticulous process to restore it back to its original condition with the help of vintage dry cleaners and craftsmanship.
The watches in the edit come with a two-year warranty from the respective brand that created it.
Heristoria also offers a bespoke sourcing service for any items that their customers are looking for.
“We’re really focusing on the quality of the selection rather than the frequency,” said Mayer.
“If we can’t contextualize the pieces and find from which fashion show they belonged to or when it was manufactured, then it cannot go into the catalog,” she added, reiterating the importance of each item’s history.
A black Givenchy jacket with patch pockets, gold embroidery and hardware has already been snapped up for 655 pounds by a customer for his wife. The jacket is a design by Hubert de Givenchy for Givenchy Boutique’s fall 1995 collection — the subsidiary line was aimed at appealing to a younger clientele.
Givenchy Boutique was worn by Jackie Kennedy in 1959 during John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign.
A yellow Fendi pasta bag designed by Karl Lagerfeld in the ‘90s.
ALEX POMMIER
Other special items in the edit include a yellow gold and diamond heart pendant from Chaumet from the ‘80s; a yellow Fendi pasta bag designed by Karl Lagerfeld in the ‘90s, and a Zenith Sporto watch from the ‘50s.
Even though Heristoria only operates between France and the U.K., Mayer hinted that Italy is on her wishlist for expansion.
The platform has also partnered with The Cadogan’s restaurant The LaLee on two special cocktails available for the festive season, a cognac Hennessy and a French pear Champagne.