Marie Laure Chamorel
Jewelry as Threaded Memory
After years of designing for some of fashion's most iconic houses, Balmain and Kenzo, and making her debut under Alaïa, Marie Laure Chamorel chose to step away from the runway to create something more personal. In 2006, she founded her eponymous jewelry brand, channeling her couture background into a line of high-end costume jewelry that blurs the line between ornament and art. A graduate of the École Supérieure des Arts Appliqués Duperré in Paris, Chamorel's approach is deeply rooted in material exploration. But unlike traditional jewelers, she doesn't start with gemstones or metals alone; she begins with thread. Describing her pieces as textile jewelry, Chamorel works at the intersection of fashion and craftsmanship, turning silks, ribbons, and cords into precious, tactile statements that carry both elegance and edge.
Each collection begins with a process that is as sculptural as it is intuitive. Working from her studio in the Marais district of Paris, Chamorel creates prototypes by hand, layering textures, testing weaves, and shaping each form until it finds the right rhythm. The materials she uses are often vintage or repurposed: English lace, antique cabochons, baroque pearls, and silken threads discovered during her trips to flea markets in Paris and New York. These found elements are then transformed into intricate designs enriched with embroidery, knotted leather beads, and fluid metallic details.
Although her work is grounded in a couture spirit, there is also a strong global influence. Several pieces have been developed in collaboration with artisans in Bali, where Chamorel has explored traditional weaving and surface patination techniques. This East-meets-West dialogue is especially evident in her Luxume collection, which features oxidized finishes, hand-dyed silks, and darkened metal accents. The result is jewelry that feels both rooted and modern pieces that echo antique traditions while speaking a contemporary design language. Her signature silhouettes, wrap bracelets, sautoirs, lariats, and wide-cuff necklaces are designed to be worn with ease and intention. There's a softness to them despite their strength. Threads drape like fabric, chains move like ribbon, and every detail feels deliberate. She often works in sterling silver or gold vermeil, applying subtle finishes like satin gold or ruthenium to create muted tones that let the texture speak louder than the shine.
Unconcerned with trends or seasonal cycles, Chamorel's collections evolve slowly. Her work isn't driven by novelty but by nuance. Each piece carries a layered story of its origin, its creation, and what it might become to the person who wears it. More than adornment, Marie Laure Chamorel's jewelry is a tactile expression of memory and material. It is made to be worn, touched, lived in, and passed on. With every fringe, knot, and thread, she reminds us that jewelry can be both intimate and bold, an heirloom in the making, shaped by hand and rich with feeling.
