Fabergé Moves Into the Future in a Lavish Night at the Museum

While members of the Russian Imperial Romanov family lavished themselves with jewels and objets d’art from the famed atelier of Fabergé, lesser mortals today need not boast a royal bloodline to savor the riches of Fabergé design. In celebration of the vaunted DNA that guides its contemporary creations, the London-based design house and PaperCity co-hosted Fabergé Then & Now, a cocktail evening at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

The perfect alliance between old and new was beautifully illustrated by the museum’s McFerrin Fabergé Collection, which with more than 600 pieces is the largest Fabergé collection in the country. On this night, it was accompanied by modern day selections from Fabergé including the iconic egg pendants, Lady Compliquée watches, necklaces and earrings, all found in the Fabergé boutique in The Galleria where evening host Michael McClure is managing director.

Jetting in for a special presentation before the reception in the museum’s Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals were Fabergé expert and historian Géza von Habsburg of New York and Josina von dem Bussche-Kessell, Fabergé global sales director based in London. Von Habsburg addressed the history of Fabergé from its inception in 1842 to the downfall of the Romanovs in 1917 and then the reunification of the brand with the Fabergé family in 2007.

“We have to evolve the story with honor, to continue the Fabergé name in a way that is respectful but also of today,” Bussche-Kessell said. That evolution, she added, includes responsible-sourcing of the colored gemstones, a key tenet of Gemfields, which owns the brand.

In addition to the beautiful marriage of heritage and originality, Bussche-Kessell, noted that Fabergé is also known for its bespoke pieces with prices starting at $7,500.

Who: PaperCity publisher Monica Bickers, Dorothy McFerrin, David Webster, Rose Chen, Yoon Smith, James Smith, Jenn Rienstra, Linda Lorelle and Lou Greggory, Liping Yao, Min Yao, Fiora Ger, Angela Kim, Merele Yarborough, LeTricia Willbanks, Gloria Lopez Fernandez and Tony Fernandez, and James Schaefer of Graff.