Known for her gorgeous gowns and sky-high heels, Georgian-born, French pianist Khatia Buniatishvili is a rock star in the classical music world, having performed internationally since age 10. With her sixth solo album, “Mozart,” coming out Oct. 25 on Sony Classical, the 37-year-old has played Chopin, Beethoven and Rachmaninoff everywhere from NYC’s Carnegie Hall to LA’s Hollywood Bowl — not to mention Paris, Milan, Dubai and Seoul.
Her captivating performances reach nearly 1.2 million listeners per month on Spotify, while Coldplay’s Chris Martin is both a fan and collaborator. With hundreds of stunning performance frocks, it’s no surprise that Buniatishvili has been called “the world’s most glamorous pianist.” The Cartier global ambassador, who recently wore a billowing black Anouki gown for the opening of the Venice Film Festival, considers Coco Chanel her biggest wardrobe muse.
She especially loves the designer’s famous quote: “Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” To that end, here are a few of the keepsake jewels, signature scents and timeless tunes that keep the virtuoso pitch-perfect.
“I got a bag similar to this one as a birthday present. It was the limited-edition Le Feu bag. I was touched.”
“Drinking from these feels like being part of ‘One Thousand and One Nights’ — deliciously full of fantasy.”
“Growing up in the ’90s in [the country] Georgia, with no electricity, lack of water, chaos and criminality on the streets, the luxury world seemed like a fairy-tale far from reality. Today, being an ambassador of Cartier is an everyday reminder to me not to forget where I am from and what my family and I have lived, but also a reminder to other girls and boys that dreams are realizable.”
“If you like to travel, especially around Asia, you will like this [black tea with a fragrant blend of Chinese and Tibetan flowers, a touch of strawberry and a hint of cocoa].”
“It’s wonderful for everyday — and the stage — because it’s enduring and gives me confidence.”
“A material symbol of love, friendship and loyalty — values that bring harmony in mayhem.”
“Whenever I want to start my life from a new page, I buy one of Paperblanks’ notebooks.”
“Timeless. And, like a fragrance chameleon, it smells differently on different people.”
“This is the shoe designer I wear on stage right now. These are high heels but comfortable, which is important for using the pedal during performances.”
