NATURAL FORCES
AS ITS NAME SUGGESTS, Beaufille—which translates to “handsome girl”—has always been about effortless contrast, and its new jewellery collection continues to explore this motif. Parris and Chloé Gordon—the sister duo behind the Toronto-based ready-towear and accessories label—are known and lauded (they’ve won two Canadian Arts & Fashion Awards) for their distinctive aesthetic, a harmonious blend of masculine and feminine details. For spring/ summer 2020, they’ve honed in on this balance through the lens of sun-soaked Californian minimalism. We caught up with the designers to talk about this duality and the importance of crafting in-house.
Where did you draw inspiration for the new collection?
Parris: “Nature is one of my biggest inspirations, in work and in life. I took a trip to Palm Springs and really fell in love with the architecture, the colours, the desert vibe and the cacti and flowers. I wanted to channel that into my work, so I used a really muted palette of just gold and white, clear rhinestones and orange pops of colour. I wanted the pieces to have a cool rock ’n’ roll feel to them.”
Why did you decide to produce the jewellery locally?
Parris: “When I did my internship in New York City with [ jewellery designer] Pamela Love, she had all in-house jewellers, and that was something I didn’t think was possible [because of costs and skills]. In school, we learned how to make everything from scratch, so it was a no-brainer to have that control over things. It’s also a more ethical way to produce.”
How would you describe Beaufille’s jewellery identity?
Chloé: “We’re trying to capture the same sort of customers [as we do with our clothing]: those who are looking for something clean, modern and minimal but with an artful edge. We don’t want anything to be too ‘pretty.’ It’s [about] mixing and balancing all of those elements.”
What do you personally look for in jewellery?
Chloé: “I mostly buy earrings because Parris and I work with our hands so much—rings and bracelets aren’t really compatible. I feel like that’s where you can have a lot of fun, especially if you have multiple piercings. I’m always looking for something that’s rooted in a basic [style] but has that tweak that makes it feel new and modern. I don’t necessarily want them to match. It’s cooler when you can style it and make it your own.”