Why don't we all commit to a gentler, fairer, happier world ?
This is what I'm aiming at with my work: I want to put poetry at the heart of your lives with my jewellery and sculptures.
To do so, I try to follow my conscience, in the hope of creating a more caring world.
Here are the cornerstones of my work:
1. A HARMONIOUS TRANSITION from Industrial Designer to Creator of artisan jewellery
2. FRENCH MANUFACTURE, with carefully-chosen suppliers
3. THOUGHTFULLY-SOURCED RAW MATERIALS according to an eco-responsible ideology
4. DURABLE JEWELLERY AND SLOW FASHION, a global approach for a more responsible consumption
5. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL POLICIES for a fairer world
1. A HARMONIOUS TRANSITION, from Industrial Designer to Creator of artisan jewellery
- A designer will tell you that an object is useful if it corresponds to a need: over and above its aesthetic qualities, every object created by a designer must have a role and a use.
-The English language puts jewellery in the category of "accessories", whose etymology gives us "something added on"
Taking this definition as my starting-point, as a designer and a craftsman, when I create a piece of jewellery, I add a precious object to your daily life , while trying to make it beneficial. Although we may not always think of it as a useful object, it has this function, too.
Your own sense of poetry doesn't need jewellery to assert itself; it only needs your own tenderness. But reaching out to a precious object shows your connection with an inner feeling. By choosing items which speak to you, you let my jewellery fulfil its aim in taking care of the inner you and reconnecting you to what is essential.
-> Wearing my jewellery is not meant to be a defiant , but empty gesture, flaunting an ethical choice, but rather a mirror to your own beliefs. The smallest piece of jewellery speaks for us and reminds us who we are. Let us not forget the power of beauty and harmony.
2. FRENCH MANUFACTURE, with carefully-chosen suppliers
By wanting to buy everything as cheaply as possible, we have dehumanised the value chain of everyday objects and forgotten that behind every one of them there is a person who needs a living wage.
French manufacture is a crucial part of my brand: giving preference to the local economic fabric by using local suppliers is important to me. I pay the price I would hope to receive myself for the same work, which means I cannot be competitive with brands who outsource part of the process. The price of my jewellery is tied to local, French craftsmanship, with all the actors in the production chain being taken into account.
-> My jewellery is produced in line with mindful, virtuous and reasoned consumption
I subcontract as little as possible and only for the tasks which I cannot do myself :smelting and gold-plating. I am familiar with all the different steps of manufacturing, have met my suppliers personally and selected them according to a number of economic, social and environmental criteria:
-the quality of work and respect of deadlines
-respect of workers' rights and equal pay
- safety in the workplace and appropriate safety equipment
-recycling of waste and waste water
- use of recycled gold for plating, with the Ecovadis label
-use of recycled silver for smelting
-purchase of sustainable raw materials
- reduction of the use of toxic materials
- gold mining in the respect of Men and the Earth
- etc
All these criteria help me to establish a long-term relationship of trust with those who share my values.
You will find more information on the manufacture of my jewellery in the section Handcrafted Production. You can also see some videos of the different steps of manufacturing by clicking on the vignettes on my instagram account: FAB'1, FAB'2, FAB'3, etc
3. THOUGHTFULLY-SOURCED RAW MATERIALS according to an eco-responsible ideology
Every day, I try to ensure that each of the raw materials I use is sourced as carefully as possible. Here are the details:
18-carat gold ( for jewellery): The gold I use bears the Fairmined label. This label guarantees the provenance of each gram of gold . Currently, it comes from 9 Fairmined mines: 2 in Mongolia, 4 in Peru and 4 in Columbia. The tracking process is very strict and I have the guarantee that this gold is "clean", that it is not used to finance armed conflict, that neither adults nor adults are exploited during mining and that environmental standards are respected. There is a page on my site given over to Fairmined: you can find it here.
Bronze: The bronze I use is composed of copper silicon and zinc(92.5% cu, 3.5% si, 4 % zn). The founder buys it in Italy and for the moment it is not possible to source the different elements separately. However, recycling plays a part: each piece of jewellery which doesn't correspond to the models or which has some imperfection is recast and recycled in the next production. Casting trees are also recycled, either to make other pieces of jewellery or in art foundries in the Paris region.
Sterling silver: The founder I work with is a craftsman, with a small-scale production. ( I don't work with large foundries) This gives me a number of advantages ( custom manufacturing, flexibility, greater responsiveness, a more personal relationship etc) but it also has a disadvantage: he does not have enough orders for Fairmined silver to be able to smelt an entire cylinder, a certain quantity being required. I prioritise the quality of the relationship over the use of Fairmined silver. Recycling is important here.
Ribbons and antique beads: I pick these up at the Saint Ouen antiques market, in the Paris region. Once again, I try to use local suppliers. Here , I find treasures: stocks are often limited and this lends itself to the individual character of each item. I try only to but French accessories.
24-carat gold ( for gold-plating): The master gilder I work with uses the ECOVADIS label. This, like Fairmined, gives me the certainty that the gold used does not come from zones of armed conflict. It proved impossible to have gold-plating through Fairmined, since the only company working with them is based in England and I have chosen to keep my production in France, but it is still an ethical system of gold-plating.
-> To sum up, it's all a question of balance between sourcing, recycling and technical constraints.
4. DURABLE JEWELLERY AND SLOW FASHION, a global approach for a more responsible consumption
What with fashion which changes every season, capsule collections which vanish as soon as they appear and raw materials which wear out, it is often difficult to stick to our guns and be responsible consumers.
Here are a few solutions to make things simpler:-)
Avoid compulsive purchases:
My models are timeless, there are no seasonal collections, I will not push you into buying. If you like a model, you will have time to think about it, to ask me any questions you may have and to make your choice serenely. If the item you are interested in is not in stock, just send me an e-mail and I will contact you to give you details about making it.
->Take your time.
Jewellery for daily wear:
A good classic doesn't have to be neutral and characterless. A favourite piece of jewellery is one that goes with everything ! Don't think that a fine piece of jewellery can only be worn with an exceptional outfit.
-> Stand out every day, even in jeans and trainers.
Take care of your jewellery:
Just as you would take a nice pair of shoes to be reheeled, a piece of jewellery may need a bit of attention. Send it back to me if it needs to be cleaned or re-plated. It will always be cheaper than buying a new one. The cost of replating in 24-carat gold depends on the surface, but works out approximately at 30 euros for a ring, 35 for a slim bracelet or 75 for a chunkier one, 35 for earrings and about 20 euros for a pendant without the chain. A hallmark will be applied with each replating. Delivery costs are paid by the client. However, if you respect the care instructions,gold-plating lasts a long time.
-> Don't give up your jewellery at the first problem !
Mending
If a piece of jewellery is broken, I can mend it for you. The guarantee only applies for manufacturing defects; if care instructions have not been respected, the guarantee will not apply, but I can still mend it for you.
-> Send me an e-mail and I will let you have a quotation.
Special Orders
I can make a unique piece or adapt an existing model. An adjustable ring can be adapted to your finger, a chain can be shortened or lengthened, an engraving can be added, a model made in silver, a precious or semi-precious stone can be set...
-> To keep a piece of jewellery all your life, make it individual.
Vintage and antique jewellery
I don't have the equipment to smelt gold from antique jewellery, but I can remove the stone and reset it in a more modern way, according to your taste. The stone in an old ring can be used as the centrepiece for a necklace, or a bracelet, for example.
-> Give your grandmother's jewellery a second life.
By bearing this advice in mind, you will help to develop sustainable fashion and you will be doing the hummingbird's share
5.ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL POLICIES for a fairer world
Every brand, from the biggest to the smallest, is now trying to reduce its carbon footprint and becoming more and more aware that people must be at the heart of the value chain.
So:
-Since they are sometimes accused of green-washing, how credible are they really ?
-Do they all have to rush to the protective cover of a label ?
-Should they recognise their failings, so that we can judge what efforts they are making and how much latitude they really have ?
-And should we judge them on their results or on their acts ?
The position of any given brand is harder and harder for the consumer to analyse and you will readily understand how difficult it is for designers to prove their legitimacy. I myself have difficulty determining where a particular brand stands, when it may have sustainable policies but not necessarily ethical ones...
So I have tried to use this page to explain as clearly as possible the way I work. For even greater transparency, I have contacted the platform Sloweare and taken steps in order to obtain their label as a sustainable and ecoresponsible brand.
- So you can decide whether the products that I offer are in line with your ethics.
Aims and Objectives of the label SLOWEARE.
This label is an anti-green/ social-washing nudge* which allows the consumer to identify fashion brands which are trying to act in an eco-responsible way. It helps to understand what is being said and what is actually being done.Their approach is innovative, being based more on quality than on quantity and concentrating on the human side of things.The organisation tries to understand exactly what the brand is doing, looking deeply into as many aspects of the question as possible. Nowadays, understanding a brand's values, how it works and what its purpose is has become more important than its sales figures.
(*) Nudge: the nudge is a theory which has evolved from behavioural science. It involves gently encouraging a person to take action, without trying to force his hand
The eco-responsibilty of the brand is evaluated according to a number of criteria:
-A balanced approach to the three pillars of sustainable development
- setting up a process of permanent improvement
- an ethical value chain
- sustainable production methods
- a positive social and environmental impact
-declarations which can not be considered as green /social-washing
The brand's framework must be based on existing standards: quality control, control of social and environmental impact* and completed by certain elements specific to the area of activity* according to the UN's sustainable development goals.
Brands are very closely analysed.
*ISO 9001 ( quality control)
*ISO 26000(control of social impact)
*ISO 14001 / ISO 14006 ( control of environmental impact)
*elements specific to the area of activity: production and circulare use of resources
This platform is sketching out tomorrow's world: it is a point of reference with regard to eco-responsible fashion . On its site can be found:
-news items
- a list of useful addresses
-positive initiatives
and practical advice.
I am extremely honoured to represent the first jewellery brand to be referenced by the site and delighted to be able to contribute to it.