Enfnts Terribles

Where does your passion for jewelry come from?

When I put on an outfit, I always start with earrings, rings, or something ‘statement-vibed.’ It has always been a passion of mine. I used to buy small, sometimes broken jewelry and then tried to assemble it into a new piece. It all started when I joined my friends for the summer course at Central Saint Martens. The brand is almost three years old now. I was in my first year of my bachelor’s in England when the pandemic happened, so I had to return to Belgium. I self-educated quite a lot on all the techniques. I had no plan at first, but then sales started coming, and I thought, okay, why not continue?

Do you produce locally in Belgium?

Yes, mainly in Antwerp. Everything is made to order. We do most of it in-house, but we work closely with craftsmen in diamond districts for gold plating, setting, and casting. The reason is the high-quality standards. Such tasks require sufficient training and certification. I can also consult with some professionals from there on techniques, connections, etc. I am all by myself now, and it is quite a lot. There are so many aspects to having a brand: social media, customer service, production, accountancy, all of that. But then, especially with the production, I could never work for someone else. It gets intense sometimes getting ten bracelets done at once, but the understanding that I work for myself keeps me going. I would like to expand the team in the future to fulfill more opportunities.

The aspect of imperfection is something you mention a lot. In traditional jewelry-making, it is all about perfection and flawlessness. And you reject this idea.

In life, generally, most people strive for perfection: perfect job, hobby, friendships, relationships — perfect everything. I am so fine with normality. Constant seeking of perfection is the most toxic thing in life. The word should not even exist because there are no perfect things. I appreciate imperfections. For example, the rings from series 4 I split with one side being ‘perfect,’ smoothly round, with a classical setting you see on every ring; the other side is chunky, wobbly, uneven, and the setting is off. But to me, both are equally beautiful.

The interview was edited for the publication. The holiday capsule collection is available on the Izabo website.

Photography by Oriane Verstraeten
Styling by Isabeau Olislagers
Makeup and hair by Emma Catry
Light by Koen Vernimmen
Second assistant: Jules Van Hool
Model: Maelle (Noah Management)

Interview by Eva Hilinski