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Chapter three - article three

An Image,
An Emotion

Fascinated by the magnetic aura of Mexican actress, early social influencer, and significant Cartier client María Félix, Amira CasarAmira CasarAmira Casar, ambassador of the Maison, tells us how such an extraordinary figure has had a lasting effect on her life.

Photo of Snake earrings

‘Snake’ earrings. Cartier Paris, 1971

María Félix, Amira Casar’s idol

As a child, I adored flamboyant actresses from the past. Those multi-disciplinary ones who effortlessly transitioned from the stage to the screen, embracing all the different forms of the performing arts. I found them both captivating and fascinating. And they were rebels. I used to slip in and out of TV theaters late at night, or dip into movie theaters all around town to escape my own reality; to escape the clutches of my strict school and distant family. That’s how obsessed I was. I was captivated by their smooth voices, their broad shoulders, their dry humor and their vulnerable eyes – not to mention the flawless, radiant skin of these ‘angels of death’ hiding any faults or weaknesses behind their beautiful appearance.

But most of all, it was their eyes... eyes filled with silent tears and melancholy, which revealed the independence I so longed for. And that was all I dreamt of.
Amira Casar
Photo of the design for snake earrings

Design for snake earrings. Cartier Paris, 1971

And that’s how one day, when my love for world cinema was at its most intense, I discovered María Félix. María was one of those FREE BIRDS. Those multi-talented, wild and undisciplined individuals who were determined to forge their own path no matter what, trusting in fate and the gods to make sure that they got onto the one-way road to their dreams. (Even if that meant leaving her family behind). That’s what made my fascination for her grow as I watched her films.

Her style was iconic and her taste in jewelry was boldly unique, an example of her flair and fearlessness. Agile and lifelike, her Cartier diamond snake evoked the power of the reptile that was a monumental God in ancient Aztec civilizations.

She nonchalantly wore it around the neck like the trophy it was, before following it with crocodiles, super vibrant necklaces and large coiled snake earrings.

I sensed that, beneath that thick head of hair, there was a feisty temperament and a voracious appetite for work, which you can see in all of her films (no one else could evoke the sophistication and glamor of terrestrial creatures in contrasting forms like she could). Across her 47 films, her smile is unforgettable and her integrity striking. Her dreamy eyes are filled with mystery and mischief. The one known as La Doña lives on in my dreams. She’s always there.” 

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Creative
Alchemy