Cate Blanchett’s Spectacular Body Jewelry at BAFTAs 2024 Conceals a Powerful Message

It’s impossible not to be mesmerized by the custom Louis Vuitton look Cate Blanchett wore to the 2024 BAFTAs. Take the detailing on her gem-encrusted choker, which unfurled into a two-strand body chain of Tahitian pearls that wrapped around her high-neck claret dress. Such elegance, of course, is classic Cate—and so, too, is the sustainability message hidden beneath the surface of the look.

An artisan in Louis Vuitton’s high jewelry atelier working on a 2.70-carat oval purple sapphire embraced by diamonds for Cate’s look.

Photo: Courtesy of Louis Vuitton

Nicolas Ghesquière used the maison’s existing stock to craft the crepe-jersey dress, which required 150 hours of work, while Francesca Amfitheatrof, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of watches and jewelry, selected and rearranged gems from older collections to create Blanchett’s show-stopping choker—a process the brand calls “creative circularity.” “Deadstock is not a sexy word,” Blanchett tells Vogue. “But Nicolas used it to make a strong, sexy dress, and Francesca has brought her artistry to the fore yet again to rearrange and redesign a spectacular piece of body jewelry. I’m in awe of them both and relish collaborating with them at Louis Vuitton.”

It’s far from the first time Blanchett has used the red carpet to help thrust the issue of climate change into the spotlight. As president of the jury of the 2020 Venice Film Festival, Blanchett declared that she would only wear looks she had previously appeared in on the red carpet—now a regular habit in order to highlight the issue of excess production in the fashion industry.

Cate wears a bespoke gown by Louis Vuitton made with deadstock fabric and bespoke body jewelry co-designed with Francesca Amfitheatrof, Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of watches and jewelry.

Photo: Getty Images

Amfitheatrof worked closely with the actor and her stylist, Elizabeth Stewart, to conjure a unique creation that could be worn in a prominent and innovative way. “It is not simply Cate’s personal style but her creative output that is so inspiring,” says Amfitheatrof. “She has personified so many incredible characters that it inspires me to lean on history and drama, allowing emotion to be expressed through the designs. We share a mutual and very sincere belief in the message of these designs—there is a lot of love behind this project. It is not a ‘collaboration,’ it is a privilege.”

The elaborate choker/body chain hybrid features pearls in a range of shades and incorporates a diamond chain emblazoned with the Louis Vuitton monogram, offset by three exceptional gems aligned vertically across the piece: a 15.25-carat cushion-cut pink spinel at the heart of a double diamond-studded monogram; a 10.73-carat cushion-cut tsavorite garnet; and finally a 2.70-carat oval purple sapphire embraced by diamonds. The result is the most elegant take on an eco-warrior’s armor.