Pascale Monvoisin’s headquarters are in an old- style Parisian building. A distressed white dresser, antique powder cases, bouquets of dried owers; Pascale Monvoisin’s o ce echoes the jewellery she creates, it is imbued with a history that is enriched season after season.

Nothing, however, could have foretold this story of creativity. In another life, she travelled the world on long-haul ights. Planet Earth as a vista; not a bad view for someone who, having lived amongst the clouds, now works the treasures found in the ground: rutile quartz, rock crystal, labrodite…

India was where it all began. The pink and magni- cent city of Jaipur provided the catalyst for her new existence. During a trip there, she by chance happened to buy a batch of turquoises. She asked a local jeweller to mount one onto a ring; this would become her rst piece of jewellery. Also the rst of a long series, which was driven by a powerful will.

A year-long sabbatical allowed the self-taught jeweller to throw herself fully into her new career. She felt her way, made discoveries, created designs. Created, picked apart, recreated, all on a shoestring budget. Is 18 carat gold too expensive? She chose a 9 carat metal, as certain American jewellery designers do because of its price, but most of all because of its pale, beautiful radiance. Agnès B. is appreciative; Pascale will soon begin a collabora- tion with the creative/art-collector.

Her points of references include jewellery designed by American photographer Robert Mappelthorpe, known predominantly for his supremely erotic black and white shots. From this icon of 1970s New York, she borrows sensations of simplicity, of additions, of a talismanic spirit pulsing closely against the skin. Pascale Monvoisin doesn’t believe in lithotherapy, yet she always carries a small crystal with her, no matter where she goes. Here, there, everywhere, she buys, collects, and sketches her inspirations in little notebooks which never leave her side.

Microscopic pearls, faceted turquoise, moonstone, aqua-marine, bakelite… These are the letters of her creative alphabet. Her words, those of a singular and unique poetry true to her. “I don’t like the sta- tutory, the ceremonial, classic jewellery”, explains Pascal. With her “thingamajigs and gadgets”, she tinkers until she finds the perfect balance; this means that appealing irregular charm, that small detail which chimes in perfect tune with the piece and completes the look. This is what makes each ring, each necklace, each earring, totally unique. Each one with its own soul and personality. Ins- pired from near and far: they are named Bowie, Gabin Arles and Taylor, Simone and Idaho…

Her sense of Paris stretches further a eld. It is in Jai- pur, where she remains loyal to her Indian jeweller for manufacture. It is in Normandy, where she took up painting and observes the passage of the sea- sons. It is in old Paris, to the beat of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, the hidden courtyards and irregular paving stones where, among her furniture and objects unearthed in ea-markets, Pascale Monvoisin never stops creating.