A new range of collectible jewellery shines in the RISIS Spring-Summer 2024 Collection
1974. Just as Barbra Streisand’s The Way We Were ruled the airwaves as the year’s No. 1 hit song, disco, along with the fashion it would inspire, was gaining popularity underground. ABBA won the Eurovision with Waterloo, their first taste of global fame. Gold hit a record $161.31 per ounce in London in January, and $188 in Paris a month later.
In August that year, President Nixon would resign under the dense clouds of the Watergate scandal. In China, an army of 8,000 terracotta soldiers were discovered in Xi’an province guarding the tomb of the first Chinese emperor.
And in Singapore, RISIS launched the first ever gold-plated orchid – a significant moment for many reasons, not least of which for the plating technology that the label would push to perfection in the ensuing years, and the international prominence to which it would elevate local orchid varieties.
1974 was indeed a year of discoveries and revolutions, of boldly moving forward and yet working with what was at hand.
This year, 50 years after the launch of their first gold-plated orchids, RISIS unveils a 2024 Spring-Summer Collection that pays homage to their heritage and craftsmanship. The gold-encased orchids remain at the centre of the Collection but a new attitude marked with daring and innovation has been worked around it.
Named ‘1974’ as a tribute to label’s beginnings, the Collection features bold statement pieces in the form of body chains that can be worn in various ways, and hand chains that combine rings and a bracelet. These pieces give the wearer the freedom to explore their individual style and set ways to express themselves with exquisite pieces of jewellery.
A new line of hair accessories has also been added to the range to bring highlight to other parts of the body and to complete a dressier style of wearing various pieces.
Freshwater pearls have been introduced to add flair to select jewellery. Recognisable classics – necklaces, earrings, and brooches – make a comeback as proof of their timeless beauty. Several of these have been updated in dimension and form.
Pieces inspired by the Oncidium Engeline Lee, named after the wife of the scientist who perfected the proprietary gold-plating technology, are also available as a special homage to the brand’s origins and inspirations.
Most importantly, the Collection, with its unmatched stylistic possibilities, marks a departure from the gold-plated ‘gift items’ that the RISIS orchids have long been. With this new Collection, they are collectible jewellery pieces that will become heirlooms in the years to come.
The RISIS Spring/Summer 2024 Collection, ‘1974’ is currently available at RISIS Boutiques and online at risis.com.