Valérie Messika

Delicate Diamonds

Autor
Nathalie Cobos
Urheberrechte ©
David Ferrua
Veröffentlichung
Winter 2016-2017

For Valérie Messika, diamonds have always been a family affair. As a young girl, she used to have fun identifying and playing with them, all under the watchful eye of her father, a prominent figure in the diamond business. Out of that playful and entirely uninhibited relationship with these precious stones emerged a philosophy at odds with the stuffy traditionalism that prevails in the industry. Valérie seeks to break with the image of diamonds as jewels for special occasions only, set in an engagement or wedding ring. In her eyes, they should be worn every day, both with jeans and evening wear.

Having founded the Messika brand in 2005, Valérie specialises in doing diamonds differently, making them the focal point of bracelets, rings and pendants in playful, airy designs in which they have the freedom to move. Gems take pride of place in her discreet pieces, which move with the wearer, and adapt to their bodies. In her collections, Valérie Messika strives for fluid, skin-hugging pieces that can be worn almost like tattoos and which have the merest of presences. In mixing genres, she takes the breath away, fashioning works of art that resemble fabrics woven from diamonds; flexible and light in nature. It is a gamble that has paid off. Valérie has created and imposed her own style, projecting her personality while remaining faithful to the diamond itself, an integral part of her genes. We spoke to a multi-faceted businesswoman.

With Messika, you’ve made diamonds more rock ‘n’ roll. Is that a reflection of your personality?
Yes. The people I work with often say that the brand is just like me. When I started Messika, I made choices and pursued avenues that broke with the landscape usually associated with diamonds. I’m doing what I love now. I’m lucky enough to have a job that I’m passionate about, which gives me a whole lot of freedom.

I have a very special and very emotional connection with diamonds. It all goes back to my childhood days and it’s linked to my family. When I was young, I’d sit next to my dad and play with them. The concept of movement is absolutely essential in my eyes. I wanted to bring diamonds out of confinement, to free them from the sanctified straitjacket they were in, while also maintaining their aura, as they’re the most beautiful of stones. And that’s how Messika came into being.

Your designs are worn like a second skin. They’re fluid and very, very comfortable. What is it that guides you in your creative choices?
The basic idea can be found in every Messika design: it’s about bringing lightness to diamonds and making them wearable on an everyday basis. Let me give you an example: the diamond necklace is to jewellery what the little black dress is to fashion: an essential eveningwear item. The challenge we set ourselves was to make it wearable for every occasion. We’ve reworked the diamond to create jewellery that sticks to the skin, like a tattoo, and which responds to its movements. We used small diamonds and we’ve come up with a very delicate structure featuring springs. One of my ground rules is that the structure should be invisible and enhance the stones. It took more than a year of development to come up with this result: skin-hugging pieces, which have become our trademark.

The Messika Emotion line features a drop bead diamond on a ring.
I’m pleased you’ve mentioned that collection, because we don’t tend to showcase it the most. It’s only available in Messika stores, so we don’t talk about it as much. It’s all to do with movement. You can’t make diamonds move with a solitaire so I wanted to add a drop bead, which does move and follows the wearer’s movements. It’s an intimate detail that only she will see and appreciate. It’s like a signature.

You seem to attach great importance to symbols, to be very sensitive to emotions.
I am an emotional and sensitive person. Symbols mean a lot to me. I love details. They fill me with wonder. When we created an illuminated jewellery case a few years ago, I took inspiration from my own experience, when my ex-husband proposed to me on the beach at night. He put a light on my head so I could see what was in the case. It was a very symbolic moment and it made me want to design a case that was a little bit different, one that showcased the diamonds and allowed men who weren’t particularly romantic to do something out of the ordinary. You can give a diamond to someone anywhere and at any time: that’s the message we wanted to get across.

 

You’re a businesswoman and a mother to two young girls. How do you manage to balance the two?
I’m lucky enough to love what I do. It’s also my passion. I travel a lot, it’s true, but I do try to be very organised, which is a pretty big challenge as I’m not really an organised person at all. Fortunately, I’ve got some good people around me, especially my assistant, who’s helped me so much. Family and work are one and the same at our house, which is an advantage. I make the most of long holiday weekends to go and see my family in Israel, and I work with my husband and my cousin. Being together makes it easier.

How do you switch off from your work? Are you sporty?
I go running and swimming. I don’t enjoy it that often but I do feel a sense of being at one with nature. I often go running on the embankments in Paris. That’s when I hit the pause button. Things come to a stop and I take time to breathe. I also go for walks in the woods a lot. Colours inspire me. I get to notice things I don’t otherwise see when I’m working.

I also ski a bit too. I’m not a great skier but I do love it. I ski for fun, not performance. I love the sensation of gliding on the snow and being high up. I find being free inspiring. Ideas come more easily to me when I get away from work and the worries that come with being a mother.