It’s always a fun time at Bloomingdale’s White Plains when the John Hardy trunk show comes to town. And the Oct. 20 luncheon for Hardy fans was yet another example.
As guests enjoyed skewered shrimp and chicken on field greens, Champagne and desert bites, they listened to Hollie Bonneville Barden talk about Hardy’s various collections, which are inspired by the beauty of Bali, the company’s Indonesian home; the power of its mythic animals; and – particularly for Barden, the company’s first female creative director — the strength of women.
We were especially enchanted by her reimagination of Hardy’s signature Naga Collection – dragon pieces in reclaimed silver, gold and precious stones. This was not our first encounter with the protective dragon of Indonesian lore. How fondly we recall the Bloomingdale’s White Plains event with then creative director Guy Bedarida, which we wrote about for December 2014 WAG . Bedarida’s Naga pieces were clasped, woven works held in place by the “fierce” dragons’ fangs.
Barden has taken a lighter approach with smoother, hinged pieces that sit open on the arm or neck. The fanciful heads are sleeker, too, but there are the same great, flashing stone eyes and stone-crowned heads.
“Do you see anything you like?” she asked the guests at one point.
Everything.
For more, visit johnhardy.com and bloomingdales.com. And look for our profile of Hollie Bonneville Barden in WAG’s December “Exploring Festive Spirits” issue.
– Georgette Gouveia
