Get To Know The Parisian High Jewelry Designer Frédéric Mané
rédéric Mané has an attraction for everything that shines and sparkles, since always. He grew up in the toy shop of his grandparents, in the Catalan country, on the Franco-Spanish border, known for the artists Matisse, Gaudí, and Dalí, who spent their lives there. A region full of color, in which he has evolved since his youngest age and has deeply inspired him. A destiny that dates back to childhood, he chose to devote himself to an artistic career. The designer's work was clear to him, in step with a sector and a reality that has animated his daily life for 20 years.
Portrait.
Frédéric Mané: “I grew up in the world of wonder, legends, celebration, of novelty, I always loved everything that sparkles and shines, and I was lulled by a fascinating world, from robot to doll, with a constant renewal of the toys of fashion and cultures, from traditional toys to American Goldorak and then to Japanese mangas. My parents’ mission was to bring wonder to a home for a celebration with a proposal behind it. I grew up in an environment where there was a lot of caring and listening, where my emotional needs were amply met, and allowed me to have a very happy childhood. I have been given the keys to building a solid foundation for my future, and these are the values I want to convey today through my creations.”
Hoehl's Wellness High Jewelry. Designed by Frédéric Mané Studio.
Frédéric was full of toys but was still fascinated by a blank page and dreamed of creating what he had not yet, a process of materializing the dream; his designer profession was already born. He has always had this desire to give a show, to create for others, to live an artistic experience, for clients whom he prefers to call «spectators» who could afford a part of his show through an exceptional piece of jewelry.
Victoria Cellun: “Where do you get your inspiration, your creativity?”
F.M.: “Day and night, Ying and Yang, I like to be inspired by the complementarity of things. For example, minimalist spaces come to life for a maximalist piece of jewelry. Even if there are many elements, I work on the vacuum, highlighting the full.
I also draw a lot of inspiration from mixing cultures, pop culture, manga, Mediterranean culture, the 20th century, and the mix of religion and culture.”
V.C.: “What are the optimal conditions for creating a spectacular design?”
F.D.: “I draw from what I live daily in a charming city like Paris, my travels, the moods of people, and the different artistic encounters; in the world of business and science, I like to discover new flavors, and then I have to isolate myself and transcribe my emotions, on a blank sheet. Words can influence me, something in the order of the impalpable, the intuition, and the sacred. I translate an emotional and artistic element into a piece to wear with its ergonomics, which is part of a process.
I think a jewelry designer must know how to combine the two sides of creations and the market expectations. Nothing is done at random. Shapes and colors resonate with a belief, a reality, a vibration, and behind this lies a material, economic reality of marketing objectives.”
V.C.: “In your opinion, what makes a successful piece of high jewelry?”
F.M.: “A successful piece is where there was total communication between all the artisans, from the sponsor to the final customer. An exchange, a sharing, confidence, a valuation. I give a great deal of confidence to others so that they can express themselves fully and make them understand the importance of what they are doing. It is a communion. It’s not the perfect storytelling that comes out of it. Still, I’m always surprised that the spiritual references I’m inspired by speak and are decoded by someone who has an entirely different culture, and can, with its referents, catch the intention behind creation. The play speaks for itself. It is a polysemic piece of jewelry; there is what it shows and reveals with this extra soul that fascinates me.
Whirling movements, for example, make it clear that we are talking about generosity. I work a lot with symbolics through the ages and archetype symbols; we know them, understand them through the spectrum of our traditions, and something comes out of them in the order of the sacred, in which we project our desires.”
V.C.: “What is your favorite creation?”
F.M.: “None. (Laugh) The ones I’m currently working on mean a lot because I’m on a new adventure. Just like a quest, it’s not the final result that will be the most fabulous vector of emotion, but the whole journey that we went through that enhances us and allows us to continue, so I will say that I love those who are the fruit of fellowship.
There are indeed exceptional pieces that give me great pride and joy when I worked on the greatest alexandrite in the world exhibited in the Louvre Palace, in the Museum of Decorative Arts for the Rubeus Milano House; of course, that’s great, but we don’t stop there. To experiment, to question oneself is the accumulation of enriching experiences that take precedence.”
V.C.: “What is your lucky stone?”
F.M.: “I am captivated by colored diamonds and stones with outstanding inclusions. They are the two opposites, but it is what inspires me. The diamond is a fantastic light source and energy. It evokes me of the solar element, the fire on the one hand, and on the other hand, the water element, which forms the inclusions which are the witnesses of earthly movements. We feel the work of matter; some opals can seduce me. The fire and water that symbolize the rising sun on the Mediterranean Sea can only inspire me.”
V.C.: “What’s the Collectif de l’Orchestre Joaillier?
F.M.: “It is a collective with is an exciting approach I have seen in other sectors. Jewelry is already a collective process in his work. We are about valuing individuals, traceability, and sourcing. It was interesting to highlight and name, to have each of the personalities who compose the jewelry orchestra incarnate. We claim we have something to say; even if there is a lot of relevance, there is a form of impertinence in the way we present ourselves without making a clean slate of the past, we respect tradition, but we also want to live it through the spectrum of our time.”
“The jewelry orchestra allows us to promote young entrepreneurs; there are new ways to communicate through social networks and new economies to underline. We use it for a large number of independent artisans and artists with a great deal of expertise and be able to unite them around a label, an artistic movement where everyone has its place.
Each entity is represented and co-signs and is quoted when I communicate. I ensure that all the experts are thanked, gratified, and identified so they can live their own experiences and not keep them in the shadows. The goal is to help each other. Without them, I would only be an illustrator or a poet, so these people are great contributors.”
“We have at least one craft by stage. A setter, a master jeweler, and an enameller were the founders of this collective. Other artists later joined, like sculptors, storytellers, not especially linked to the jewelry world and luxury, but with whom it was interesting to collaborate.”
V.C.: “How do you see the future of high jewelry?”
F.M.: “The past will continue and will be added to the future. We have to protect tradition and see how we can value it. We have to find a way to take tradition through time. Jewelry traditions must be allowed to continue by combining them with technological advances, such as titanium, a new material. The scarcity factor persists, but new technologies make it possible to create incredible works of art. Highlight new ways of transmitting high jewelry; why not show and share the creation process of exceptional pieces, for example.”
V.C.: “What is your favorite aspect of your job?”
F.M.: “I have found a balance in the plurality of my actions. Whether in strategic advice to brands, the design of an exceptional collection, or the teaching, it is a whole that enriches me.
I also had to choose to devote most of my time to creating. We are here to achieve a mission together. There will always be issues to manage, which is normal, but the richness of my daily life is permanent freedom in which I have found myself.”
V.C.: “What are your next projects?”
F.M.: “Beyond the collaborations with the houses with which I co-sign, we are preparing a beautiful exhibition on July 5th and 6th in Paris at the Costes Hotel, for the Qannati house of which I am the artistic director. It is a watchmaking project responding to a specific demand for high jewelry and watchmaking for men. We wanted to highlight world spiritualities and fascinating objects. It’s a project we’ve been working on for three years, which I look forward to being able to bring out. Still, it will be absolutely new and upsetting, with a tremendous amount of know-how, and could be the contemporary answer to what can be high jewelry for men. It’s a rather surprising brand proposal. I can’t wait to unveil this project.”
