We are back with more bejeweled treasures. Let’s log onto Auverture.com, the multi-brand fine jewelry online platform – headquartered in Amsterdam – to look up some eye-catching pieces by 15 talented designers.
Born in New York into a creative family, Bibi van der Velden explored her love for fine arts and studied to become a goldsmith. She launched her creations under her eponymous label in 2006. Her jewelry line features unique pieces crafted from interesting materials like scarab wings, historic Italian coral, mammoth ivory found on the Russian tundra and antique artifacts accented with precious stones – all of these are transformed with great dexterity and finesse into wearable works of art.
Having worked with many online retailers over the last couple of years, Bibi noticed how difficult it was to narrate the emotion behind the pieces. “I felt like the magic was missing on many websites. I wanted to create an online platform where the stories of the designers behind the jewelry could be told not only for me, but also for my fellow like-minded jewelry designers. Auverture was the result,” she says.
Auverture is a website dedicated to “inventive fine jewelry with carefully selected pieces coming from a new wave of designers who are leading the category.” Launched in the spring of 2016, Auverture delves into the inspiration, the idea, the conception, the design, the choice of materials and the time-honored techniques involved. “We want the wearer to understand how a piece of jewelry comes into being and even work with a jeweler to create a personal piece that’s truly unique,” Bibi adds.
Bibi started with 10 very talented designers – Ileana Makri from Greece, Sara Beltrán, Ana Khouri, Monique Péan and Pamela Love from the USA, Venyx, Noor Fares and Fernando Jorge from London. “Delfina Delettrez is from Rome, Lydia Courteille from Paris and myself from Amsterdam. We have added four more incredible designers over the last couple of months; Sorellina and Foundrae from the USA, the Lebanese designer Gaelle Khouri, and Tomasz Donocik who is London based,” Bibi says
What are the key criteria that you look for when choosing a designer to be part of Auverture? “The designers that are a part of Auverture are distinctive, interesting and provide constructive feedback. And, although everybody has a different signature, they are part of the same ‘family;’ the various collections complement each other,” says Bibi.
For more details, visit www.auverture.com
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Smitha Sadanandan
