CROSSING PATHS: Gaia Repossi has collaborated with American Dutch artist Sterling Ruby to create a one-off, limited-edition brooch in a constructivist style inspired by his sculpture as she continues to build parallels between jewelry and fine art.

“I consider these to be art collections,” she explained of such partnerships, which she increasingly sees as a linchpin for the house. Previously she worked with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to create a collection inspired by jewelry made by the late photographer. That line launched in 2021.

“They’re projects that came about organically,” Repossi told WWD. “Both the Mapplethorpe Foundation and Sterling Ruby approached me directly, believing I could best translate their vision of adornments into the world of jewelry, thanks to my contemporary sensibility and understanding of modern art.”

She continued, “Today, these collaborations follow one another almost systematically and have become an integral part of the maison. I believe they’re evolving into a cornerstone of Repossi, a kind of creative interlude that nourishes the house, offering a strong and unconventional point of view.”

Five years in the making, the collaboration has resulted in the development of a brooch informed by Ruby’s REIF series of wall-mounted relief sculptures, which are made from salvaged wood, studio offcuts and fragments of his late mother’s Pennsylvania barn.

Repossi and Ruby have known each other even longer. “I’ve known Gaia for close to a decade,” Ruby stated. “Repossi’s approach is architectural and minimalist, yet open to disruption. That openness is what drew me in. Whether I’m working in sculpture, ceramics or clothing, I’m interested in shifting context — breaking hierarchies between disciplines. Repossi provided a space where jewelry could function as both object and artwork.”

Repossi continued, “It’s a great honor to collaborate with such strong artistic visions, which I always strive to respect as faithfully as possible. These have been incredibly enriching creative experiences. I often tell my creative studio that our most beautiful pieces, sometimes even our bestsellers, are born out of collaborations.”

Originally intended as a full collection, the focus of the collaboration shifted as it developed. “Midway through the process, during my second visit to his L.A. studio, with prototypes in hand, he showed me a body of work he was preparing for his exhibition in Seoul,” Repossi explained. “One particular piece stood out: a white wooden sculpture, in the spirit of REIF, with a single white flower sealed in paint at the tip of a long beam. He told me, ‘This piece represents peace, like a weapon ending in a flower.’ That became our reference point.”

The limited-edition brooch, each unit numbered, is crafted from 18-karat champagne gold and set with a single 2.10mm round diamond in a polished bezel setting, and is engineered with a spindle system and chamfer line cut.

The design will be unveiled at the Gagosian gallery in Paris on Oct. 6. Campaign images were shot by Ruby’s wife, the photographer Melanie Schiff, in his Los Angeles gallery.

Repossi hopes to continue building their partnership in the future. “I would love to develop a full collection with Sterling, as we originally envisioned, something as comprehensive and multifaceted as our project with Mapplethorpe Foundation,” she said.