Meet Jewelry designer Géraldine Valluet

Native Parisian Géraldine Valluet is an innovative jewelry designer whose work takes center stage in OuiPlease Vol.2.1 La Vie en Rose. Valluet began her career in French fashion houses, including Dior and Saint-Laurent, where she honed her jewelry-making craft and refined her personal aesthetic. Géraldine Valluet is known for its high-quality materials and timeless, sophisticated style. Read on to meet the experienced, inspiring designer.

OuiPlease: How did you get your start designing jewelry?

Géraldine Valluet: I graduated from the prestigious Parisian art school Studio Berçot. I began my career producing jewelry for the haute couture fashion shows of Dior, Chloé and Saint-Laurent. Next, I collaborated and created jewelry for fashion houses including Martine Sitbon, Paul Smith, Nicole Farhi and Agnès B. My work varies from Baroque to minimalist, from fantasy to poetry.

OP: What are your favorite materials to use in your designs?

GV: My favorite material to use is mainly gold, I’ll use some silver pieces here and there but I also love precious stones. The materials I choose really depend on the collection I’m working on and what my inspiration for that collection is.

OP: Speaking of inspiration,what is the inspiration behind your line?

GV: I live in Paris, so as you can imagine, I get inspiration from everything I see in my environment. I am inspired by art, architecture, museums, nature, things I see on the street, and the colors I see.

OP: What are you thinking of when designing?

GV: I love to design pieces that excite me - things I’ve never seen before, things I dream about wearing. As I design, I imagine the woman who will wear my jewelry. How does she go about her everyday life? How does the jewelry function as she interacts with her children, goes to work, and so on.

OP: What kind of woman do you design for?

JF: I want to create accessible jewelry. I don’t want the price to be very expensive. I want any woman to be able to access my jewelry and see themselves living in it. I’m designing for the woman who is looking for an innovative concept, a new brand and who wants to wear jewelry that’s different from what we see regularly. Most importantly, I want her to play with her jewelry as much as I do.

OP: What do your creations say about French style?

GV: My jewelry collections are for the woman who is independent, daring, and has a bold artistic taste. I think American women encapsulate all of these qualities. The woman who wears my jewelry is looking for something that is unique and contemporary, but still timeless. She might be on-trend now, but she will also keep her jewelry for years to come. I hope that wearing Géraldine Valluet jewelry will empower her to achieve great things.

OP: Can you describe your design process?

GV: After 25 years of designing jewelry, I’ve created a lot of pieces and have a good knowledge of all the materials. As I design on paper, I’m already able to know intuitively which materials will work. Next I work on the prototype. I’ll wear it for a few days, see how it fits, adjust it if necessary and go from there!

OP: Do you think your creations are in the French style?

GV: I travel the world to show my jewelry, so even though I’m inspired by all that I see in my travels, my pieces maintain an undeniable French touch. To me, the French style is feminine and elegant; a woman can wear it with t-shirt and jeans during the day or with a classic black dress at night.

OP: What kind of woman are you?

GV: I’m a woman who loves to travel, meet people and experience other cultures. As a designer, I’m driven by my interest in the woman I create jewelry for. What are their inspirations, what are their dreams?

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