‘I do not really define this project as a brand but rather as a personal collection, since I started designing for myself and my friends,’ says Sarah Madeleine Bru, who draws on her background in object and jewellery design for her eponymous new jewellery brand. ‘I create pieces which I love and which I feel my friends would love too. I am also really interested in finding a balance between the everyday and the exceptional.
‘Whilst I try to create pieces which are comfortable and which you can keep for a long time, I also want the wearer to feel like they are putting on something special, something unique. That’s why I also offer a bespoke service.’
The jewellery designer translates her love of simple forms that began in childhood – a pear, an egg – into pared-back silhouettes offset by unexpected juxtapositions, such as a curve framed against an angle, or into oversized proportions. The jewellery offers new ways to be worn – golden fans flutter across the whole ear, or simple golden lines hoop around it or perch, off-centre, on the lobe. ‘With my background in object design, I tend to be drawn in by sculptural pieces, where the shape is really visible – I think I get this result by making my pieces oversized. I also like for a piece to become part of your decor at home. I see a jewellery piece as a kind of protection or companion. Jewellery is such a personal and intimate thing and I love to feel the weight of a piece as it accompanies me during the day – it reassures me.’
Bru puts her favourite gemstones front and centre for her first collection – a green pear sapphire ring, a Brazilian garnets ear clip, a jadeite cabochon bracelet, a pearl hoop – for pieces that subvert traditional jewellery design with edgy design ticks. ‘I want to offer something different that plays with the limits of what an earpiece or a body ornament can be,’ Bru explains. ‘I find it interesting to see how far I can go without becoming uncomfortable or impractical. It is still a work in progress but something I will carry on exploring into the future. It is what makes developing this collection really interesting for me, as I get to express new ideas while staying true to how I love things to be made.’
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