Melbourne Winter Masterpieces: Cartier

13 September 2026, by Dolla Merrillees

In this week's blog post, Costume Society member Dolla Merrillees reviews Cartier at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne, on display until October 4th, 2026.

When I think of Cartier, it is the panther—with its seductive combination of untamed elegance and strength—that invariably springs to mind. No other motif has perhaps become so closely identified with the French luxury house. First appearing in 1914, as an abstract onyx-diamond spotted pattern on a wristwatch, the panther was later brought vividly to life under the visionary direction of Jeanne Toussaint. Appointed creative director in 1933 and herself nicknamed La Panthère, Toussaint transformed the animal into an enduring expression of the Maison, embraced by some of the most stylish women of the twentieth century, among them Daisy Fellowes and Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor.

Toussaint and the panther are just two of the many personalities, motifs and influences that have shaped Cartier’s distinctive visual language and are explored in this comprehensive exhibition, a collaboration between the V&A, the NGV and Cartier.  Bringing together nearly 400 jewels, precious objects, timepieces and archival materials, the exhibition, first shown at the V&A in London in 2025, charts the evolution of the Maison from its origins in nineteenth-century Paris to its emergence as one of the world’s most celebrated purveyors of luxury, patronised by royalty, aristocrats, film stars and an international elite.