Ileana Makri’s Baguette collection gives a new edge to the graphic cut

Greek jewellery designer Ileana Makri has always been drawn to the perfect simplicity of a baguette cut and the Baguette collection, the latest addition to her signature fine jewellery line, is an appropriate tribute.
It is composed of clean, linear lines that need little enhancement, a truth Makri heeded with the almost invisible settings the stones sit in. The only embellishments come from the black and yellow gold colour palette and the twinkling of the clear white diamonds themselves.
‘The baguette cut expresses perfectly the minimalist mood I wanted to create in antithesis to the noise and over-design of today's world,’ she explains of the pieces that have just landed at Dover Street Haymarket. ‘Going back to classic shapes with a modern edge was what I wanted to achieve.’
Considered design detailing ensures the pieces are understated without being bland – baguette diamonds glint in random combinations of one, three or five, creating a pleasing irregularity when stacked and adding an edge to the perfect uniformity of the cut. Clusters of diamonds, paired with 18 carat gold and rhodium plating, gather in studs, rings, necklaces and bracelets in a plethora of combinations and designs for a clean, unfussy aesthetic.
Makri's previous collections concentrated on her preoccupation with the natural world: the best-selling Snake Collection offered sensual renderings, while her fascination with the lustrous beetles in her home country led to the creation of colourful, gem-studded bugs. She has come full circle with these newest pieces, which are a return to focusing on the fundamentality of the stone itself, a natural development of Makri's Classic collection, which united simple shapes with a vibrant selection of jewels. Baguette is a natural next step; a pared-back return to the essentials. ‘These are a modern interpretation of the Ileana Makri core,’ she says. ‘Pieces that can be layered and easily combined with one's own jewellery.’
The clean, linear lines need little enhancement, and the stone settings are almost invisible
The only embellishments come from the black and yellow gold colour palette and the gatherings of clear white diamonds
Makri explains, ‘The baguette cut expresses perfectly the minimalist mood I wanted to create in antithesis to the noise and over-design of today’s world’
She adds, ‘Going back to classic shapes with a modern edge was what I wanted to achieve’
INFORMATION
For more information, visit Ileana Makri’s website
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
The ultimate amenity in this Canadian apartment building? A trio of scene-stealing restaurants
Part of Citizen on Jasper, a new residential tower, Va!, Olia, and Mimi offer a thrilling day-to-night dining experience
-
These sculptural mirrors embody the relaxed spirit of the Med
Photographed in a Mallorcan residence designed by local studio Munarq, these new sculptural mirrors by New York furniture company Ready To Hang are inspired by the sea
-
African brutalism explored: from bold experimentation to uncertain future
Discover the complex and manifold legacies of brutalist architecture in Africa with writer and curator Fabiola Büchele
-
All eyes on Greek jewellery brand Lito as it launches bold new amulets to mark its 25 years
Striking amulets, seductive stones and secret messages characterise Lito's striking new anniversary collection, an extension of its ‘Tu es Partout’ series
-
The best layering necklaces for an elevated yet casual look
How to mix, match and stack jewellery for the ultimate high-energy, low-effort style
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windows
Four British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
Late summer jewels: what to wear at Golden Hour
Late summer signals a jewellery style-shift. These independent designers have got it covered
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to know
These independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
-
Jewellery designers share their most precious personal pieces
A host of jewellers give us a peek at the jewellery which brings them joy and solace
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a moment
We've been deep-diving into boutiques around the world to find the very best calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. It seems jewellers have been busy rethinking pearls, with contemporary (and often affordable) results
-
Eternity rings for the modern couple
Eternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token