Monique Lhuillier on Her New Collection with KAY Jewelers

1. It is exciting to see your design aesthetic translated to engagement rings, tell us about your partnership with KAY Jewelers? My partnership with KAY Jewelers is very symbiotic, as engagement rings go hand- in-hand with wedding gowns. If there’s no ring, there’s no dress! Designing the Monique Lhuillier Bliss jewelry collection was like a natural and exciting next step for me. I’m so thrilled to partner with KAY Jewelers as they’re the authority in the marketplace. It has been a dream collaboration from the beginning.

2. What is the inspiration for the collection?
For each ring design, I wanted to make it special for the bride-to-be. The Monique Lhuillier Bliss collection is inspired by the details in my gowns and ready-to-wear collections, tying in floral accents and beautiful, flowing silhouettes. I love detail so much, and there are special design elements that you’ll discover as you wear it. For example, diamonds encircle the band of each ring, symbolizing unity and eternal love, and I’ve added an “xo” engraving which is a little love note to the couple.

3. Describe the process interpreting your design aesthetic with KAY, how did you get there? Overall, I wanted to emphasize romance within my designs. The KAY team was a great help in making sure the ring designs reflected my signature aesthetic, which is feminine yet sophisticated. I’ve brought the same intricacies and refinements to the designs of my engagement rings and diamond bands that are found in my bridal gowns. For many of the styles I’ve arranged the diamonds to reflect movement and fluidity, like the flow of my dresses. I’ve used rare mini-fancy diamonds perfectly proportioned to complement and accentuate the center stone of each ring. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner than KAY; the team worked their magic to make my design vision a reality.

4. What are some of the types of styles that are offered? The engagement rings and diamond bands are set in 18K white or rose gold with select styles available in 18k yellow gold online, with various center stone options including round, princess-cut, oval, pear, emerald, and marquise.

5. How many rings are in the collection?
The collection features over 60 engagement rings and diamond bands available on KAY.com, with about 22-34 styles that will be available in over 500 KAY Jewelers stores.

6. Do you have a particular ring that you feel is the Monique Lhuillier BLISS signature look? Every style in the collection pulls in signature design elements of Monique Lhuillier and there are so many gorgeous options. I would say that princess cut is a favorite of mine. All of the faceting of this fancy cut makes it so brilliant. There is also a modernity to princess cut diamonds that creates a stylish look.

7. The ad campaign images are so romantic, any behind the scenes stories about shooting it? We shot the campaign in a beautiful outdoor location that created the perfect backdrop. Our vision was to capture the romantic essence of Monique Lhuillier Bliss as well as the sheer emotion of a couple’s engagement. We really were thrilled to see how much chemistry the models had with each other! From there, it was pure joy to direct the shoot with the KAY team. We couldn’t be happier with the end result.

8. What was the favorite part of the process of designing these rings? My favorite part of the design process is seeing the rings! When I’m designing fashion, I can see it transforming in front of my eyes —I pin the fabric and it comes to life in my atelier right there and then. With wedding rings, I share inspiration and review sketches, but it takes time to develop the samples. While it’s a different medium, I use the same design process. I start with a mood board, then develop what the center stone should be, what the baby fancy stones should be, what it looks like in the side profile, and so on. All of the upfront design work is well worth the wait when I get to see the final result. Placing the rings on my hand brings a source of great joy and pride.

9. What trends do you see in engagement rings today? Fancy cut stones are really trending with not only celebrities but customers as well. We’re seeing emerald, oval, pear, and cushion cut having a resurgence and I love it! We’re also seeing different colors of gold, with rose and yellow gold, and larger center stones.

10. Any style tips from your personal experience for choosing an engagement ring?
Selecting an engagement ring is very similar to finding the perfect wedding dress— it is a choice that reflects one’s personality. A wedding dress you wear once in your lifetime, but an engagement ring is a symbol that you wear every single day. I wanted my bride and the couple to look at this piece of jewelry as a symbol of their love and commitment to one another. When they look at their ring, I want them to think of their wedding and how magical that day was, being surround by friends and the people they love.