AIR May 2019

AIR
drawn between my
work and couture probably
“Parallels
arise because my pieces are
designed to merge with the body,” says
Tatiana Verstraeten.
“Like a dress, they’re made to be
worn – to be enjoyed, not to stay in a
window. They move and come alive on
the body. I design an aesthetic – not
an object,” outlines the Belgian-born
founder, who launched her brand
during Paris Couture Week.
Her work, she enthuses, “Is inspired
by everything – but not jewellery. I’m
influenced by the extraordinary volume
of work of Alexander McQueen; by
nature; by sophisticated embroidery from
Lesage (the Chanel atelier)...”
The latter influence is of particular
note. Not to anchor Verstraeten too much
to her past, but gosh, what a prestigious
past it is: part of her background
experience was honing high jewellery
skills under the watch of the late,
great Karl Lagerfeld.
“He somehow taught me to trust my
own creative instinct, to honour my
differences and to try not to belong to
a ‘trend.’ He also taught me to shape
my ideas into something very generous,
luxurious and magnificent,” she
remembers, fondly.
Verstraeten embraces the lineage.
When asked about striking it out on her
own – and having to develop a signature
look for her namesake maison – she
considers, “I guess my style is quite
influenced by my background in fashion/
costume jewellery at Chanel. At that
time, I could create big volumes, with
all kind of materials, production was
swift and the Chanel ateliers and
craftsmanship were amazing, and I could
really test any ideas I had: creativity
had no limit. Consequently, nowadays
in the high jewellery world, everything
is different with precious material as it’s
slow, complex and expensive to create.
However, I have been trained enough
to challenge shapes and forms and take
creative risks, and I like to do so while
maintaining the very essence of high
jewellery tradition.”
What sets her maison apart from its
Place Vendôme neighbours, the designer
has observed, is that “Today the grandes
maisons mainly opt for the ‘anonymous
studio’ of creation – with no identifiable
‘head of design’, such as with those
associated with their fashion arm.” (She
does note Dior’s Victoire de Castellane
“
I like to create sizeable pieces
but without being choking or clownish
– because elegance is crucial
”
as an exception; “She actually began her
career in the same way as me, starting
as a fashion designer at Chanel”).
In general, though, Verstraeten feels the
historic jewellery houses, “Are starting
to focus on entry-price pieces and must
have branding. I’m going the other way:
I want to design strong splendid pieces
and sign with my name, revealing the
designer – and the mind – attached
to the collection. I think people want
splendour, but also to know who is
behind the scenes.”
Without a century of history as a
foundation, the founder had to steel
herself for the competition. “The high
jewellery business is an industry where
you fight with very few maisons, as
compared to fashion, but encounter
real heavyweights,” she admits. “They
have enormous marketing budgets – an
enormous weapon to stop you. I hadn’t
exactly understood the full force of
that, back when I started out with
my ideas and my passion.”
She has armed her brand with an
arsenal of sublime haute jewellery to
fortify the hubris, including her fringed
earrings: “My signature piece. I feel
they are remarkable, but without being
boastfully shown-off, and the style really
suits every woman of every age. They’re
magnificent against grey hair, cut short,
and are a style I’ll revisit every season.”
Within the five collections (thus
far: Barbara, Vienne, Rain, Stars and
Tzigane), the Barbara necklace is truly a
statement maker. “It’s a complex volume
to shape because it adorns the shoulders
like a feather boa, seemingly not touching
the skin,” says its creator. “From a
production sense it’s also a nightmare,
because the volume had to be cut in
numerous pieces, moulded, and brought
back together like a puzzle. It’s very
challenging to shape the form you want.”
Of the brights sparks that have
accompanied her meteoric ascension,
Verstraeten cherishes seeing her
jewels “Come to life upon a woman.
My favourite conversations are when
women tell me how fantastically
beautiful and special they felt wearing
my jewellery – when all eyes were
on them.”
She “dreams” of designing a piece
for Beyoncé, or to see Sharon Stone
wearing one of her creations, and vows
do more red carpet wondery with the
likes of Natalia Vodianova, Zoë Kravitz,
Charlotte Casiraghi, Cara Delevigne,
and Adwoa Aboha.
Verstraeten recalls a pre-event
instance with Phantom Thread actress
Vicky Krieps. “At first she was afraid
that the volume of the piece might be
too big for her, but as soon as she wore
it, she loved it,” the jeweller recalls.
“After all, I like to make sizeable pieces
of jewellery; outstanding, but without the
need to be choking or clownish – because
elegance is crucial. I find inspiration
from women themselves, and I only
think about how to embellish their
beauty.” Spoken like a true couturier,
one might say.
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