Louise Damas’ jewellery has something different: it is inspired by heroines in literature. Working from her atelier in Paris, Louise’s creations take us into the imagery world of her protagonists, revealing feminine and sophisticated designs. Believing in jewelry as an expression of our own personality, Louise’s pieces give to our daily outfits a more personal style as well as becoming meaningful objects we cannot separate from.
Hi Louise, how are you? Tell us about your background and how did you get into jewellery making.
Hi, I’m fine thank you. I am a 24 years old jewelry designer living and working in Paris. I studied Literature at the Sorbonne University. I started jewelry making when I was a teenager; I used to craft little accessories for me and my friends. I am a self-taught in the field, which didn’t make things easy in the beginning, but with a strong dedication and some advice from other creators, I learned a great deal in little time. Through the years, I started to realize how it was gradually becoming more than just hobby so I decided to invest all my time and work into it. I felt the need to build a universe around my creations so I began this adventure called Louise Damas Paris.
As a designer, where do you draw your inspiration from?
I mainly take my inspiration from my reading, a passion I have since I was really young and that I further developed through my studies. More specifically, I draw my inspiration from the feminine protagonists of my favourite books. That’s my starting point. Nevertheless, I try to mix this with anything that might catch my eye in my everyday life: materials, textures, colours and lights. I think inspiration is something unconscious and continuous: sometimes we see things and we associate them with other ideas so as to later translate them in an object.
How important are accessories for you for a woman’s fashion?
To me jewelry is really important; I believe it makes a huge difference to a woman’s appearance and self being. Clothes are mainly dictated by trends while accessories, and more specifically jewelry, can slip away from these trends, allowing a little bit more freedom. By this, I don’t mean the ever changing fashion is bad, it’s just more established in the clothing industry. For this reason I think an accessory can become somewhat more personal, having the capacity of revealing something about ourselves. It’s than touch that distinguishes you from others.
What was the first piece of jewelry you’ve ever made? How has your style evolved since then?
My first jewel was the Peigne Salammbo, the jewel-earring that you can attach to your hair and you can wear in many different ways. When I created it, I was reading Salammbo by Gustave Flaubert and I got so inspired by the protagonist that I thought about making a jewel she would have worn. About my evolution since then, I think I now feel much more confident during the creative process. For the rest, it’s for my followers to say!
All your pieces take their name from French literature heroines. I understand literature has a big role for you during the creative process. Do you always have an heroine in mind when designing?
Yes, literature has helped me a lot even though that has not always been the case. Let’s say heroines in books are kind of the first stage of the process. However, just like I might read a book so as to find inspiration in it, it can also happen that I already have a design in mind and I later realise it might suit an specific heroine I’ve read about. Another significant aspect is that the characters I choose for my designs are not usually wearing jewellery. This is because their behaviour, attitude and way of thinking are what interest me the most.
Louise Damas Paris has a strong signature style, how would you describe it?
This is a difficult question. I love creating things that are different and novel. I want to make pieces which are unusual but not too eccentric. Wearability for me is key, it makes jewellery something you can wear anytime and from which you wish not to separate, becoming part of one’s own signature. I would like my clients and followers to identify themselves with my creations and make them personal.
Your pieces are all made with precious stones or semi precious stones, how do you select them and choose their combination?
I just select and pick out what I like the most. In this moment for example I am working a lot with Swarovski crystals.
Who wears Louise Damas?
I don’t really have a fixed idea about the type of person who would wear Louise Damas jewellery. A variety of different people wear and can wear my creations because it is the person who wears it who must feel like it is her jewel. By this I mean that it’s the woman wearing it that has to make it part of her own style.
How do you feel when you see young Parisian girls in the street wearing your jewelry?
It hasn’t happen yet, unfortunately, but I do have friends who told me they have seen people in the street wearing my creations. It makes me very happy and glad, even if I didn’t see it myself. I am looking forward to the day I can see it with my own eyes!
Can you reveal us something about your upcoming collection?
I recently started a men collection, even though I find it’s way more difficult for me to create for men. It’s a quite a simple line, with plain colour bracelets. I am taking it slow for the moment; we will see how it goes. Aside from that, I will showcase my pieces for the first time in September in a trade show for fashion jewelry. If any of you is planning to be there please come and say hi!
