Style Edit: The peerless elegance of Cartier’s Panthère has been empowering women for decades – from Wallis Simpson to K-pop’s Jisoo

The Cartier panther was first spotted in abstract form on a watch in 1914, and was soon expressing its defiant personality through naturalist and graphic representations as well. Aptly it was a woman, Jeanne Toussaint – Cartier’s first female creative director and a role model for women’s emancipation in the mid-20th century – who brought the creature to life, adopting its free spirit as her own personal signature.

In 1935 she steered two panther silhouettes of yellow gold and black enamel on to a ring. In 1948 a full-bodied Panthère de Cartier made its three-dimensional debut on a brooch boasting a 116-carat emerald. A follow-up the next year saw a regal panther atop a whopping 152.35-carat cabochon-cut sapphire. The sculptural panther heads, arranged tête à tête, that grace the latest Panthère jewellery collection of sleek, modern, fully articulated pieces were first seen on earrings in 1958, encrusted with diamonds and showcasing glinting emerald eyes.

The panther’s proud evolution is testament to the skill and innovation of the Cartier design team, whose jewellers, gem setters, cutters and polishers, and carvers and engravers, bestow it with character and desirability.

In a unique “fur” setting technique, its spots of hand-carved sapphire or onyx are secured by tiny threads of metal, while its tiny ears are pavé-set on the outside and polished within. For the new flexible necklaces and bracelets, ingenious gold blades and springs positioned in the panther head allow full movement.

Time has never stood still for the precious and ferocious panther. The first Panthère de Cartier watch emerged in 1983, named for the curved and polished links of a fluid bracelet that slinks on to the skin. Beloved by the arty crowd and indomitable personalities like Jane Fonda and Madonna, it became a cult possession.

A whiter dial and tauter links appeared for its 2017 relaunch, and the 2024 iterations deliver timeless sophistication through grained, sunray-brushed, satin-finished or diamond-set dials encased in rose or yellow gold, as well as a welcome larger model.

The call to the wild crosses the entire Cartier universe, from sunglasses with mini panther visages on the lenses, to multiple jungle cats roaming a burgundy silk twill scarf. Its full face boldly emblazons cufflinks and is etched organically onto the bottle of the new La Panthère Elixir, which splashes jasmine and amber into the house’s floral-feline fragrance.

The latest bag to be touched by animal magnetism is the Double Panthère – its handle is held in the jaws of two jewelled beasts.

Long viewed as a metaphor for women’s empowerment, Cartier’s panther has inspired generations of influencers.

From early socialites like the Duchess of Windsor and Daisy Fellowes to contemporary celebrities like Annabelle Wallis, Mariacarla Boscono, Lily Collins and Jisoo, the Panthère tribe carries the legacy of Toussaint – women daring to be themselves.