FANNY INSERRA

“ In an era where the preservation of the environment is a concern, it is more inspiring than ever to find thoughtful and sustainable ways to create jewelry.”
Fanny Inserra
French up-cycling jewelry designer Fanny Inserra is just 1 year fresh off her launch in 2019. Yet, having been featured in Vogue and Nylon Magazine, she is already gaining attention for her mesmerizing pieces.  

With inspiration drawn from 90’s grunge and Northern folklore, Fanny Inserra has a holistic approach to the design process where materials are rediscovered, every item is handmade and the environmental impact is kept to a minimum.
The results are youthful, daring and lush and this seems to be the beginning of what is shaping up to be an exciting run.
I got to do an interview with Fanny Inserra that gave me insights into her process, work and inspiration.

         
       

How did you discover your love for up-cycling and what made you choose this direction in the first place?
The reasons have their roots in my values as well as in my aesthetic inclinations.
Coming from a modest family, I grew up with up-cycling, as a child I wore my sister's clothes and as a teenager I stole the clothes in my mother's wardrobe for my greatest pleasure!
But today, in an era where the preservation of the environment is a concern, it is more inspiring than ever to find thoughtful and sustainable ways to create jewelry, we need a fashion more than aesthetic.


How do you describe the genre of your jewelry brand?
The genre of my jewelry can be described as contemporary and affirmed jewels with a touch of nostalgia as a guideline.
Inspired by the grunge culture of the 90s, the beginning of the 2000s and by the northerner folklore my brand is guided by the affiliation between familiarity, singularity and delicacy.



Your brand is inspired by northerner folklore and 90’s grunge. What in particular infatuates you about this and how does it translate into your pieces?
I grew up artistically in the north of France in the 90s, so it was natural for me to evoke it by creation.
I’m a very nostalgic person, I grew up with a fashion culture in the 90s and 2000s, period with assumed and audacious look.
I use certain code specific to the popular class from the 90’s or 2000 like the dragon which evokes the dragon shirt we found on the Sunday markets and the flames which are widely used in my jewelry tribute to « tuned cars ».


You state that you find it inspiring to find thoughtful and sustainable ways to create jewelry. Tell me about your design process and how it differs from traditional ways of designing.
First I don't produce anything in advance, my jewelry are made with care on order.
I try as much as possible to use materials from recovery and gold filled or silver for timeless jewelry.
My current project, also going forward is to create durable and recyclable pieces to encourage a different mindset on uniqueness, quality and originality rather than quantity.⁣
Today, it’s more inspiring than ever to find thoughtful and sustainable ways to create jewelry. That’s why I try to have the least possible impact on the environment thanks to the raw materials from recovery and by the optimisations of my scraps. This also goes through the packaging.




You have just made a collaboration with Kauri Paper Studio. How did you come about this? 
Anouk and I have known each other since our 15 years old, we went to the same art school in Roubaix.
We follow each other's work on Instagram, it's really a great experience to work with a friend, from concept to realization by exchanging our different points of view, it's a meeting mixing two artistic personalities.
For our collaboration, we wanted a strong and offbeat image while respecting the well-tempered style of the MEIN LIEBE collection. At first our two creative minds went all over the place. And finally we were rather on the same wavelength: “WE WANT ROSE, KITSH AND TUNING!” The car is inspired by the 1961 Chevrolet Impala model, tuned like jaja, with some golden details for a nod to Lore. The jewelry, made of recycled plexiglass and rings, contrasts well with the smooth and uniform side of the paper (even if they gave Anouk a hard time when taking the picture: orient the light spots on an object transparent was not so easy) From the sketch to the shooting, passing by the realization of each paper elements, it will have taken thirty hours of work for the realization of this image.
 

What is next for you, do you have an upcoming project?
The next projet is a collaboration with my graphic friend Lycia @odetoutopia
We are currently working on upcycling collection Habibi, a jewelry line made of 100% materials from recovery. We collect old jewelry, materials throughout north of France to create unique and responsible jewelry.  This collection is mainly inspired by the multiculturalism of the north of France and our childhood memories.
Like our jewelry we work with a guideline inspired by nostalgia, cultural diversity which will move towards an eco responsible future.


https://fannyinserra.com/ 

Photo credits B/W: Emma Burlet


PaperCar Pink:
Kauri Paper Studio
Mark