Luxury eyewear: Jacques Marie Mage (JMM) ‘Gallery’ opened in the Spring on Chiltern Street
Offering a signature selection of limited-edition eyewear, leather goods, jewellery, finely curated artifacts and ‘exceptional objects’, JacquesMarieMage London is conceived as a modern approach to the traditional aesthetic of the old-world gentleman’s club. The store interior was created by the French interior designer Jacques Garcia to bring both authenticity and originality to what is the first retail outlet for JMM in the UK.
“With an almost futuristic or innovative approach, we go back in time in order to begin a narration at the beginning of the 19th century and invite the discerning collector to join us on our travels,” said Garcia about this concept. “What inspired me was 19th century English literature, philosophers from across the Channel, those British films from the 1950s in black-and-white where mist is omnipresent, and of course the English taste for extremely lively woods – mahogany, for example – and strong colours.”
In line with all JMM Galleries (there are already ‘JMM galleries’ in several cities including Tokyo, Milan and Paris), a feature of the location is its foundational furnishings, a suite of custom creations produced by Paris-based furniture design firm Hervet Manufacturier to complement the gallery’s distinctive offerings and custom decor, including a large-scale, multi-piece painting entitled Vanitas Vision, created by Andy Dixon. The Vancouver-born, Los Angeles-based artist creates bright and opulent works that often reference Renaissance-era portraiture or Flemish still lifes. He integrates odd juxtapositions and electric palettes into colorful canvases that reflect upon the rituals and totems of affluence and privilege.
“My work always samples from art history and I’ve explored the Vanitas themes many times,” said Dixon. “These pieces mark a breakthrough in how things look, though. They’re among the first paintings that have this kind of punk cut-n-paste aesthetic to them and I plan on carrying that into all pieces moving forward!” Above: the facade of JMM on Chiltern Street – one of London’s most exclusive shopping destinations
A display of the signature of JMM, the design, aesthetic style and ‘provocative artistry’, the London Gallery embodies what the LA company describing it as an “especially sophisticated sense of English eccentricity, yet another rarified experience that encourages collectors to ‘Embrace The Spectacle'”.
Jacques Marie Mage JMM Gallery, 20-22 Chiltern Street, London W1U 7QD
The JMM Gallery in London opened on 28th February 2025. For more information: JacquesMarieMage.com