Lifestyle // Women's
Conversation With: Hervé van der Straeten
Parisian jewelry designer Hervé van der Straeten‘s sculptural designs and exacting perfectionism reflect his previous occupation as an engineer. Van der Straeten began designing jewelry while still an art student at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He made a name for himself as early as 1985 with his jewelry collections, which were an immediate success. Today, Van der Straeten’s designs include furniture, lighting and mirrors, which have all brought him international recognition.
“I try to make my work have a dialogue. Sometimes a material or shape of furniture allows me to create a jewel, and sometimes it is the opposite. There is no rule,” says Van der Straeten.
Herve van der Straeten furniture and lighting at his gallery in Paris.
Cuffs from his Fall 2012 collection.
Elegance and minimalism are the key elements of his approach. Each collection is designed in his own bronze and cabinetmaking workshops and then presented in his gallery in the Marais, which opened in 1999. Van der Straeten is currently presenting his 9th exhibition, Dissonances, with a selection of furniture, mirrors, lamps and objects on display at his gallery until September 30, 2012.
Designer Hervé van der Straeten
NM: Both your jewelry and furniture designs capture incredible dimension. Do you think like this when you are designing?
HVS: I like to design bold pieces that have a lot of presence. I wish to investigate diverse forms and dimensions and not lock myself into a single way of saying things.
NM: What made you decide to start designing furniture and lighting?
HVS: I always wanted to design furniture and lighting, from my early days. Too many castles and museums visited I guess!
NM: Describe the design process.
HVS: Fantasy comes first and then pragmatic details. I always start with a quick sketch of the structure, then follow with colors and materials. Lastly, plans or full size models are created. Having my own workshops and design studio in Paris makes it easier, and allows me to be very precise.
NM: What is your philosophy in regard to jewelry? What do you think it adds to a woman’s overall look?
HVS: My jewelry is graphic and sculptural. Playing with unexpected lines, geometric design in movement and generous volumes. Most of all, jewelry gives a stance.
NM: Which city’s women wear the best jewelry?
HVS: Women from Rajasthan working in fields adorned with jewels, they look like queens!
NM: Name one of your favorite fashion designers?
HVS: I like Haider Ackermann a lot, his shapes, his volumes, his sense of colors.
NM: Do you have a secret talent unrelated to design?
HVS: Cooking and gardening! My ultimate luxury is to carve my boxwoods in the Japanese tradition.
NM: How do you see your designs evolving in the future?
HVS: Every exhibition is a step, a new subject of research… ’til the next one. I have some projects with the “Manufacture de Sèvres”.
Shop Hervé van der Straeten at NeimanMarcus.com or select Neiman Marcus stores. There are rewards in store during the Bejeweled Event.
