Marie Lichtenberg introduces a leather Lasso—positioned as an aesthetic move with clear financial implications as gold and silver hit record highs. The Paris-based jeweller’s new Italian-calf leather Lasso necklace and baby-locket bracelet retain 18k gold lockets while reducing reliance on chain metal, with the yellow-gold ruby locket bracelet priced at $8,180 and a white-gold, diamond version already marked at $8,320.
- Price: $8,180 (18k yellow gold + 0.19 ct ruby); $8,320 (white gold + diamond)
- Carat weight: 0.19 ct (ruby on baby locket)
- Origin: Design and assembly, Paris; strap material: Italian calf leather
- Date: January 2026 launch
Why the leather move matters now
At a time when bullion is trading at all-time highs, Lichtenberg’s pivot reads less like concession and more like calibration. The leather introduces a tactile grain that offsets the vitreous luster and compact, barrel-shaped heft of her 18k lockets—producing contrast, warmth and a more lived-in surface that appeals to younger buyers and fashion editors alike. Lichtenberg frames the choice as aesthetic first: leather, she says, “brings something more raw, more grounded, and more lived-in to precious pieces.”
Fast-fashion craft meets considered luxury
The Lasso pieces use Italian calf leather in natural and black tones; the bracelet cradles Lichtenberg’s signature miniature locket—sculpted in 18k gold and punctuated by a single gemstone. The 14.5-, 16.5- and 20-inch Lasso necklaces are sold separately from pendants or lockets, allowing stylistic layering. A white-gold Lasso with diamond is already sold out online, a signal that demand can outpace supply even for non-metal straps.
Context: Material shifts shaping 2025–26
Across the luxury landscape, 2025 set a precedent: designers leaned into alternative materials, sculptural proportions and playfulness while preserving construction standards. The move toward leather aligns with three converging trends—efforts to manage material costs as precious metals climb, the fashion industry’s embrace of tactile, grounded finishes, and Gen Z’s appetite for pieces that read authentic rather than purely ornamental. Lichtenberg’s prior use of resin and fabric cords—whose fashion-collection resin lockets have seen resale prices triple—offers a precedent for secondary-market upside when stylistic demand aligns with limited supply.
Impact for US retailers and investors
For American retailers this is a practical proposition: leather Lasso pieces allow stores to offer Lichtenberg’s cachet with lower metal exposure while preserving headline-grabbing gold elements—the locket remains the value anchor. Merchandising opportunities include mixed-material stacks, leather-and-gold cross-sell displays, and targeted outreach to younger customers who prize tactile contrast and tonal warmth.
From an investment standpoint, watch two metrics. First, initial sell-through: the white-gold diamond Lasso’s quick sell-out suggests limited production and concentrated demand—a positive sign for aftermarket value. Second, category elasticity: Lichtenberg’s fashion resin lockets have already shown resale traction, indicating the brand’s ability to translate fashion pieces into liquid assets on secondary markets. Margin dynamics for retailers should improve if leather components replace lengthier gold chains without diluting perceived luxury.
What to stock and how to position it
Buyers should consider a balanced approach: allocate a small, highlighted assortment of leather Lasso necklaces in both brown and black, and secure an allocation of the baby-locket bracelet in yellow gold (ruby) and any remaining white-gold diamond pieces. Presentation matters—display leather straps uncoiled to show the tactile grain and pair with close-up shots of the 18k locket to signal intrinsic value.
“Evolving feels natural—it’s about staying connected to my creative mind while pushing the work forward. I love being ‘scary,’” Lichtenberg says—an apt summation of a move that feels both playful and strategically attuned to a market where material choices now carry measurable financial consequences.
Photo: Marie Lichtenberg’s Lasso bracelet in Italian calf leather with an 18k gold baby locket (photos courtesy Marie Lichtenberg).
Image Referance: https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/marie-lichtenberg-lasso-leather/