Cult accessory brand Déhanche unveils chunky hardware jewellery

Accessories brand Déhanche translated belt buckles into sculptural jewellery hardware on its launch three years ago, and for founder Erin Webb, now felt like the right time to expand.

‘Déhanche buckles were always inspired by jewellery, so designing a collection to accompany my favourite buckle shapes felt like a natural return,’ she tells Wallpaper*. ‘From the beginning, belts were conceived as sculptural forms, into hardware that looks like jewellery for the waist. This collection translates that same language in precious metals, refined and reimagined for the body.’

In the new collection, designed in Paris and crafted in Webb’s Los Angeles hometown, earrings, rings and necklaces subvert the distinctive chunky codes of the belt buckles. Cast in sterling silver and gold vermeil, they are wearable yet sculpturally sound, borrowing from artists such as Brancusi, who mastered the sensuality of the buckle and brass curve in his work.

‘I am very inspired by sterling silver,’ Webb adds. ‘It feels noble and because it requires care, it creates an intimacy with the wearer and the piece. There’s also a deep connection between sterling silver and the history of belt buckles, such as the silversmiths of Taxco, whose work is still a large inspiration for my designs. That link feels important for Déhanche.’

Weight is also crucial in the pieces, with Webb keen to strike the balance between a substantial, yet comfortable, piece of jewellery. ‘The Hollyhock earrings went through eight iterations to find the balance. A decadent presence I could feel the weight of, yet I could still forget I was wearing it all day.’

Ultimately, the project is a personal one for Webb, who looks to a familial and historical archive when defining her aesthetic. ‘I always loved the way my grandmother would wear her jewellery in sets. It feels luxurious and nostalgic, yet here it’s interpreted in a modern way, through hardware women already wear on their bodies every day. I’m always exploring new ways to introduce hardware and jewelry in forms that feel unexpected.’

Prices range from $295 to $695. The full collection is at dehanche.com