Camille D: Transforming Lace Into Jewelry

Delightfully ethereal, round or heart-shaped and sometimes embellished with discreet multicolored stones, Camille’s necklaces and bracelets lend a bohemian, elegant style to any outfit. Growing up in a family of manual laborers, handymen and vintage enthusiasts, since childhood Camille Darde knew she aspired to work with her hands. With a keen interest in fashion and textiles, upon her return from New York in 2021, she opened her atelier-boutique at 38 rue Auguste Comte, Lyon, offering an original collection which she had worked on over several years. Inspired by the effervescence of New York and its creative energy, she learnt the techniques of sustainable jewelry-making using recycled metals. She scoured the designer markets, fascinated by Art Deco jewelry, vintage chains and fine pearls. In the city that never sleeps, Camille came up with a unique concept: turning lace into jewelry. She decided to make good use of the small stocks of vintage and crochet lace made by her grandmother herself in the 1950s and which she had been given as a gift. In the summer of 2018 the line "Camille D." was launched with the very first "Dentelle" collection. The range of round or linear earrings, chiseled bracelets and rings are elegantly arranged on two small white displays which emphasize the details, the delicate compositions shimmering in the light, revealing golden and silver reflections. Camille travels all over France in search of the right lace to work, visiting recycling centers, garage sales, flea markets and antique shops, making sure that the fabric is not too thin. The top-of-the-range collections, 100% handmade in Lyon with the help of a founder and plater, are made of 3-micron gold-plated brass, with gold-filled chain, gold and solid silver. Camille likes to personalize her jewelry to suit her customers' wishes, making bespoke models in limited series, offering a unique dimension to each of her pieces and exalting all the finesse of lace in pure, refined jewelry.