After we moved to Brooklyn, designer friends kept saying we need to meet jewelry designer Jane D'Arensbourg, a talented artisan who makes the most gorgeous, light-catching glass jewelry. When we finally got together, we couldn't believe we hadn't met sooner! Between Jane's background and training in fine arts and her many years of running her business, she's met a lot of people and gained valuable expertise. But beyond that, her work ethic, skill, and down-to-earth attitude make Jane a great person to know.
Her jewelry is also insanely beautiful, and so much fun to wear! I have some of her rings and earrings. They are wonderful statement pieces, yet are so lightweight and comfortable to wear. Every time I wear a Jane piece I can count on getting a compliment--their modernist appeal and unique material really catch people's eyes! Jane's jewelry has become a staple in my wardrobe, as have her Blluemade pieces for her! It seemed in the months after we met, every other day I would text Jane a picture of myself wearing her earrings with Blluemade, or she would send me a picture in kind of her wearing her jewelry with one of our items. Eventually, I realized I was an idiot for not reaching out to her to do this interview sooner! I love how Jane wears her Blluemade pieces as studio clothes, hanging out with her family, picking up her son from school, at meetings, while melting glass for jewelry (!)... and all the many other things she does! She's wearing our True Indigo French Dress throughout this piece. Thank you, Jane, for doing this interview with us!
name:
-- Jane D'Arensbourg
Occupation:
-- Jewelry designer and business owner
Location:
-- Brooklyn, NY
Currently listening to:
-- I’ve been listening to a lot of Ty Segall, it’s like 60s psychedelic rock. I’ve also been listening to Depeche Mode lately. My six-year-old son loves Depeche Mode. He’s really into 80s synth stuff.
Your style:
-- That is so hard to answer. I don’t spend a lot of time on my style because I’m getting my son out the door on a school bus at 7:30 a.m. so I usually grab whatever's on top. I work a lot with my hands but I do try to dress nicely everyday. I’m drawn to textiles, and I’m a total sweater girl. I have tons of linen too. Most of my clothing is made by friends or are vintage finds.
How did you get into jewelry?
-- I’ve been making jewelry since I was a little girl. I used to tweak out in bead stores in junior high. I’ve always been someone who makes things so if there’s something I’m after and I can’t find it I’ll make it. I trained as a fine artist in glass but I was making stuff for my friends and mom and more people were asking for the jewelry. A while back I had a studio visit with someone who was buying my art. She saw my jewelry work in the studio and suggested I sell my jewelry at a particular store and things just exploded from there.
What do you look for in clothing?
-- Things that are high quality, well-constructed, nice fabrics, something unique. I’m not looking for the latest trend.
What's your go-to outfit?
-- It depends on the season. When it’s really hot out I’ll just put on a silk dress which I’ll pair with Osborne leather flats by friends of mine. As previously mentioned, I wear sweaters a lot when it’s cold enough! I love pairing my Blluemade pieces with vintage linen pants. Blluemade tops are a really great backdrop for my necklaces; it's something about how the textures relate.
What's your next trip?
-- I want to go somewhere warm and exotic this winter but it’s hard to plan as my husband Jonathan is the chef and owner of Nom Wah Tu. I go to New Orleans every year, which is where I lived until I was fifteen. I have a lot of family there. I'm always inspired by the architecture and all the tropical flowers, plus there are many great restaurants there of course.
links:
http://www.janedarensbourg.com/