Artistic Fusion: The Unprecedented Encounter Between Metal and Fabric

A Project Born from Creative Synergy

The collaboration between jeweller Isabelle Kapsaskis and felt-maker Sonya St-Gelais for the 50th anniversary collection of l'Empreinte, is a project of exceptional scale.

Right from the start, Isabelle sets the tone: "It's going to be beautiful and it's going to be big!

This joint project, the first for these two renowned artists, consists of a series of seven spectacular earring models that skilfully combine metal and fabric. Each model is available in five colors, offering a rich and varied range. Isabelle explains that the decision to limit the collection to five models was not an easy one:

"We stopped at seven because the possibilities are endless."

For Sonya, this collaboration was an opportunity to push back her own creative boundaries. She admits that jewelry made of felt alone has never satisfied her:

"For me, jewelry requires metal. [This collaboration with Isabelle] allows me to dive fully into real artistic jewelry creation."

With this merge  between skills and artistic approaches, the two creators designed a " fully professional, fully beautiful " collection (dixit Sonia), allowing Isabelle to realize her dreams of large, colorful jewelry pieces, with the benefit of them still being light dur to Sonya's fabric contributions.

Textures and Colors: The Collection's Muses

The inspiration behind this collection lies in a shares vision between Isabelle and Sonya.

As Isabelle points out, "Sonya and I have the same vision, the same source [...] our work is very organic, in our shapes, in our ideas... It all works out!"

The two artists met a few times in Isabelle's studio for intensive four-handed work sessions, where they developed each item of the collection.

Isabelle has always been drawn to organic shapes and textures, seeking to create impressive jewelry. However, she is often faced withthe constraint of metal weight:

"I wanted it to be big. I always want to make bigger jewelry, and that's what holds me back: the weight of the metal."

This is where the contribution of fabric becomes essential, allowing the creation of voluminous pieces without adding to the weight.

Sonya brought a myriad of fabric pieces to Isabelle's work-studio, inspiring new creations. Their close collaboration, in which each piece is the fruit of joint reflection, has fused their visions into a unique collection. According to Sonya, those days spent together were extremely dynamic:

"We were together, bouncing ideas back and forth. It was a construction, an in-situ and very dynamic elaboration."

Adaptation and Ingenuity: The Production Challenges 

Producing this collection posed several technical challenges that the two artists had to overcome. Isabelle had to design new molds and mounting techniques to harmoniously integrate the fabric with the metal, while maintaining the lightness of the jewelry. The fabric, designed by Sonya, was specially created to suit the technical requirements of the jewelry. She had to creat miniature pieces, a task that required her to adapt her working methods:

"I had to change my way of thinking, of visualizing, of projecting myself."

One of the major challenges was to find a way of assembling the fabric pieces onto the metal without it looking like a DIY job. To achieve this, they had to strictly follow textile techniques, sewing the fabric onto the metal. Isabelle, who had never worked with such a flexible material, had to adapt to this new way of creating:

"It's a different way of working. I'd say to myself, 'Ah, let's do it this way! But then I'd do my tests, and I'd say: 'Sonya, this isn't working ☹' because fabric isn't stiff!"

The creative process was fast-paced and intense, with both artists modifying and adjusting their creations in real time, directly in the work studio. They had to show great flexibility and adaptability to overcome unforeseen technical challenges, while maintaining an impeccable level of quality befitting their reputation.

From Collaboration to cContinuity: Future Goals

If this first collaboration is a success, it will paves the way for future joint creations. Depending on how the collection is received, Isabelle and Sonya will consider working together again to develop pieces that could blend into their own core collections. For the time being, the pieces from this collaboration are unique and will only be available in-store, adding to their exclusivity.

L'Empreinte's 50th anniversary collection marks the beginning of a new approach for Isabelle and Sonya. Their work explores new ways of combining metal and fabric, opening up unprecedented creative possibilities. Each piece is a sincere expression of their shared passion for fine craftsmanship, and this collaboration could very well be the starting point for equally innovative future creations. And we're all delighted!

Discover all the collaborative projects in this special 50th anniversary collection