The Danish Jeweller
Sophie Bille Brahe, whose elegant creations are a hit with celebs from Rihanna to Emma Watson, says less is more when it comes to design.
What she wears every day
The Peggy pearl necklace, which goes with everything.
Favourite jewellery The Grand Ocean Ensemble ring, which I gifted myself after the birth of my daughter Beate.
How she knew she wanted to be a goldsmith
Since I was a girl, I’ve always liked to use my hands. I loved drawing, painting, building and creating. Eventually, I naturally started using my hands as a way of expressing myself. I feel that creating jewellery combines the three core elements of craft, fashion and art, and this was something that I really connected with when I started designing. In that sense, I don’t feel I ever chose this career, but somehow it chose me.
Her design considerations
The way I create jewellery is much more about taking away things than adding. I always think: How clean can you show a diamond? How simple can you show a pearl? I don’t feel a setting should ever take the focus away from the material, unless the setting is part of the story that I want to tell.
Favourite commercial piece she designed in the past decade
The Botticelli earrings shaped like grapes from my FW ’18 collection, with inspiration from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, where the Three Graces dance together, their hair flowing with pearls.
Her top gemstones
I have always worked with high quality diamonds and pearls. To me, diamonds are the most captivating – they give such a magical feeling that I can’t explain and
are always the thing that’s driven me as a jewellery designer. I love that pearls are an organic, raw material created naturally, and yet so beautiful without needing to be modified. They are classic and simple, but still have a fascinating and captivating look.
Her other passions I really love art and flowers, and find much inspiration in both.
Fave fashion brand Cecilie Bahnsen. I have admired Cecilie and her work since the first time I met her. To me, her talent is like a pearl – quite rare and magical. The things I love now are things that I have loved my whole life, like leopard print dresses, and the same Prada shoes I have had since I was 20, which has only recently been replaced with an almost identical pair.