Interview with La Femme Jewellery

By admin at May 7, 2012 | 3:34 pm | Print

Company Name: La Femme Jewellery
Company Address: Melton West, Victoria
Phone Number: 0402517599
Website: www.lafemmejewellery.com

1) Can you tell us a little bit about your jewellery design business and the services, products you offer?
La Femme Jewellery features individually handcrafted jewelry and offers customers the opportunity to have a custom made piece according to their specifications. I make a large range of “Pandora Style” bracelets, bangles and watches, crystal and gemstone jewelry as well as some special pieces I have purchased from wholesale and offering for resale.The extra pieces, not made by myself is to increase the variety of items I have in stock and hopefully my customers will always find something they like to suit the occasion they are purchasing for. Some people just want advice, or an old piece of jewelry fixed or remodelled.

2) What’s the history behind you in the jewellery design industry, how did you get started?
I have always loved good jewelry and like a big percentage of people, found that really nice jewelry is expensive and mostly unaffordable. A friend pointed out to me a bracelet belonging to someone we know and commented on how expensive it was. The bracelet was genuine Pandora. It got me thinking that I could do something like that so I researched and purchased good quality, less expensive (not the “el-cheapo stuff that turns your skin another colour) similar components. The result was beautiful. Soon I was making these bracelets for friends and not long after, people came to me to ask if I could make one for them, their friends and relatives. I sourced a large quantity and variety of beads and chains and decided to to do a market stall and make these beautiful pieces available and more importantly, affordable to the average person.

3) For sure designing jewellery must be a complex process. Can you describe how the creative process starts?
It can come from a lot of places. If I am making a piece for a specific occasion I take into account what colours and styles of clothing the person wants to wear it with, the wearer’s personality and their ideas of what they think might look good. For non-specific pieces, I search for crystals, gemstones, beads and metal findings that I find unusual and appealing and often just having a “mess” of all these things in front of me I get inspiration to put certain items together. It’s largely experimental. There’s not a lot of planning or drawing involved. Colours and shapes give me ideas for jewelry and using non-standard and unusual materials can be very rewarding.

4) So once you have the design in mind, can you tell us about the process from “creative idea” to “final jewellery piece”?
If I don’t have the materials I need already, I then spend hours online searching for just the right components. It’s exciting when the postie arrives with my purchases. Once I have all I need, I sit down and work on the piece until I’m happy with it.

5) Where do you get the inspirations behind your designs?
Colours, shapes, textures, special occasions (such as Mothers day, new baby, wedding etc…) and emotions (love, dream, hope, wish etc….)Exactly as you mentioned in your examples – special occasions, colours, textures, shapes but also shopping either online or in stores gives me inspiration. There are millions of beads, gems and findings on the market, some are quite remarkable and with a little imagination, you can see how just one of these remarkable items will fit into a gorgeous piece of jewelry. I adore “junk mail” and often envisage a piece of jewelry or an accessory that would look great with clothing I see in
catalogs.

6) Do you have any enviromental or ethical considerations when designing or producing each piece?
I like to use natural products whenever possible. I love gemstones, crystal, coral, pearls and precious metals. Much of my time is spent researching and seeking out the best quality components and the lowest prices so that my initial purpose of making beautiful, affordable jewelry is always my main priority. I want my customers to be happy with their purchases for a very long time. One thing I use extensively is the magnetic clasp which is very much appreciated by people who find it difficult to reach behind their necks or have problems with arthritis in their fingers and so using the magnetic clasp is just so easy for them.

7) What’s your favorite piece or collection you have designed so far. What can you tell us about it?
There’s a set I made in a Dreamfire blue dragon vein agate bead. Each bead is separated by tiny silver filigree beads so that they may be individually appreciated. The beads are similar but not the same as each other and upon close inspection, have gorgeous markings (veins) and hues.

8. What do you have in store for your future collections?
Crystals, particularly Swarovski, are timeless. Younger people often view crystal pieces as “old ladies jewelry” but I want to change their attitude by bringing back beautiful crystal jewelry that is appealing to all. I have just begun a party plan which I hope will be fun and rewarding. I plan to use more gemstones, Swarovski crystal and make less of the pandora style jewelry, and less of the wholesale purchased pieces, unless of course my customers want them.

9) How do you see the jewellery design industry in Australia developing? What excites you?
Australia has huge potential with so many gorgeous “home grown” gems and precious metals. We are not focused on mass production so Aussie designers are more likely to produce very interesting and exclusive jewelry pieces.

10) Now time to promote your designs! Invite our readers to check your collection and tell us what makes you a top jewellery designer
Come and visit my website – http://lafemmejewellery.com/ – where you will find the type of jewelry I make as well as selected pieces from other designers. The more interesting pieces are in the recesses of my imagination, ready to work with my customers on a design especially for them.

Jewellery Designers Melbourne VIC