This fall, you will get to see an incredible partnership of Guillermo del Toro, a famous Mexican filmmaker, and Tiffany & Co., a legendary jewelry company that has agreed to help with his upcoming Frankenstein adaptation. The company decided to contribute 27 modern and vintage pieces from its two-century-old archives.
Custom brooches, pendants, a hair comb, earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, a pocket watch, and some silver interior items have all graced the movie screen. Five pieces were specifically designed for this movie by New York artisans, while the other 22 modern and old creations were already made and only waited for their cinematic destiny. In particular, ten were historic jewels, six were archival silver items, and another six were modern pieces. Most of the ancient masterpieces are so unique that they haven’t even been used in modern times.
In “Frankenstein,” Mia Goth, portraying Elizabeth Lavenza, is adorned with Tiffany & Co.’s historic Favrile glass beetle necklace.
The film is set in the 1850s and is actually an adaptation of a Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. For the sake of historical authenticity, the movie creators used Tiffany’s jewelry from the 19th century. The costume designer Kate Hawley went beyond using jewels as basic ornamentation. For her, they are narrative devices included in textile designs.
For Kate Hawley and her entire team, it was a huge honor and a very touching experience to collaborate with Tiffany & Co. Every aspect was crucial to forming Elizabeth’s world: costumes, set design, makeup, and above all, the jewelry.
Remarkably, Mia Goth, the actress playing Elizabeth Lavenza, wore nearly all of the pieces on-screen (22 jewelry items in total), and Charles Dance, who played the role of Leopold Frankenstein, had the pocket watch on.
The archival ‘Wade’ necklace, dating to around 1900, is worn by Mia Goth in her role as Elizabeth Lavenza.
With 40.45 carats of European-cut diamonds, the “Wade” necklace is designed in platinum and gold.
Pieces created under Louis Comfort Tiffany’s guidance (the company’s art director) were mostly curated by Meta Overbeck and Julia Munson. What makes them special is the unusual use of floral and other natural motifs, and the director’s storytelling gives them a new spark of life.
Vice President of Patrimony and Global Creative Visual Merchandising Christopher Young says that Tiffany & Co. proudly continues collaborating with movie creators. The company adds more than just aesthetics. It gives a kind of emotional resonance to the characters’ accessories and look in general.
According to Christopher Young, new and old designs represent the main themes of the movie, especially transformation and evolution. Del Toro’s approach to creating worlds includes great attention to details, set design, costumes, and jewelry. Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz, Charles Dance, and Jacob Elordi are the main actors starring in Del Toro’s Frankenstein. The film will debut on October 17. At first, it will be available in a few selected theaters, then online on Netflix (from November 7). The moviegoers will surely have a unique look into the legendary archive of Tiffany & Co. The Olertis team hopes you’ll have a chance to watch this wonderful film and enjoy Del Toro’s style.
For a deeper look at Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and the Tiffany creations showcased on screen, check out your article “How Tiffany Jewelry Brought Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein to Life.”
