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Our Featured Designer Of The Month Of November - Dafne Interview

This month we are really excited to sit down with one of our favorite jewelry designers Dafne.  Her pieces are unique and different and extremely sophisticated while maintaining a light and contemporary feel.  Dafne continues to be one of our top sellers here at Love & Pieces and we think you can see why. 

You named your company Dafne after yourself, can you tell us more about your decision to do that and your company and how you got started?

My name itself is short, feminine and different. I wanted to use it to express the difference in my jewelry. Born in Mexico, my parents have chosen the "latin" spelling to the name (with an "f" vs. "ph") to remember the country where I was born. Also I like when it is very evocative and I think at the end that's the best way to remember a designer.
 
I started by engraving children names on discs by hand, the whole piece linked on colorful strings and with my magic magnet clasp it became a hit! Then I wanted to bring my own touch in my jewelry and I have explored more the "one of a kind" spirit by designing and making my own "bangles" based on different wire shapes to make them unique. You will notice each of my bangle has a stamp to proof the authenticity of the piece. Later on I have started integrating cubic zirconia stones as if it was a real piece of diamond thanks to the very "petite" size!

You grew up in Paris and now you live in Miami. Can you tell us how both cities have influenced your work and Dafne as a whole?

My inspiration is first the woman who is "active, urban and trendy". I always think of a Parisian what she would wear but I also listen to the trends and what women need. The colors and lightness of the pieces definitively come from my color palette I see everyday in Miami.

When you design pieces are you designing for yourself or for a specific person and who is that person?

I have my muse in mind: she is a very demanding woman, powerful and very sophisticated, less is more type of woman, who love to mix her luxurious piece with a trendy one. In a sense it will "melt" perfectly together. She is also trendy but most of all she loves to turn a piece she was wearing with a pair of jeans into a glamour piece with her black little dress for a date (I have in mind for instance the double layer vertical barre in the collections). I cannot help but getting inspired from a YSL woman of course... glam and trendy!

What are the newest jewelry trends you see coming in the near future and possibly for Dafne?

The multifunctional is I think in great demand and I have been working on that for a long time (multilayer piece, bracelet looking like there is a multitude by itself, etc...) I think the strength of a designer is to think of the long term use of the piece as well. In order to never get tired you need to create a special affective link between the user and the piece. Multifunctionality could be one. Of course the qualitative and small magnet is one of them as well.

What designers do you love or think have inspired your work?

I was mentioning Mr. Yves Saint Laurent earlier who has of course inspired me in all my previous career path. The mix of the bright colors mainly comes from his great influence: choking mix!
Sometimes I also have "reminiscence" of what I have seen and learnt with "Boucheron" or "Van Cleef and Arpels" when I was working in the perfumes industry. The fragrances were always inspired by a gemstone or by nature. This also guided me in the "classy" touch of certain collections (ie: eternal collection for instance).

Lastly if you had to wear one piece of your jewelry for the rest of your life which piece would it be and why?

Actually I don't have. There are 2 reasons: 1. because my jewelry are to be exchangeable very easily thanks to the magnets, I personally love to adapt them with my daily look and enjoy to be able to take them off, before sleeping for instance, in a click!; 2. the only piece I will be wearing all my life is not from me but a very symbolic one.

Browse through the Dafne Collection Now.