WHITE bIRD launches its collections – easy-to-wear jewelry!

Founder of the WHITE bIRD concept stores, Stéphanie Roger has a flair for unearthing talented designers and predicting new jewelry trends. Attentive to her customers, she’s launching her first jewelry collection, with easy-to-wear pieces, ingenious and modern earrings and necklaces – we love it! When two enthusiasts meet…

From luxury firms to designer jewelry…

Can you tell us about your background – how does one become a trendsetter?

After studying at a business school, I worked in product development at Cartier. I then joined Chaumet where I was entrusted with business development projects, which allowed me to travel around the world in search of partners.

Through my travels to the United States, I discovered in the late 90s, at Barneys, the emerging concept of designer jewelry. It was really the beginning, but I remember being immediately charmed – there was nothing like it in France.

I pursued my career at Dinh Van and thus began to drift towards more contemporary and creative jewelry. Dinh Van was a small firm at the time and, as the General Manager I got to do a little bit of everything. What a wonderful adventure it was to make this elite brand more accessible!

When the adventure ended in 2005, I wanted freedom. I got into consulting before joining Chloé to create the jewelry department, which unfortunately never came to fruition…

From WHITE bIRD’s early days to creating jewelry…

Was that when you decided to create WHITE bIRD? What were your motivations?

I had actually been thinking about it for a while… Since the beginnings of Barneys, whose development I witnessed over the years and through my travels. I found the work of Cathie Waterman, Ileana Makri, Natasha Collis or Pippa Small extraordinary! I wondered: why are these designers not represented in Paris?

Because my ambition wasn’t to go after department stores, I told myself I was going to build my own little Barneys by myself, hidden on rue du Mont Thabor in Paris.

The first designers I contacted were the ones I fell in love with at Barneys. It wasn’t easy to convince them at first, but eventually Cathie Waterman accepted the collaboration, and others followed. We opened the first store with a dozen designers in 2010.

You’ve taken on all responsibilities in the fine jewelry sector, to finally start creating. When did you take the plunge?

My customers and those around me had been asking me for a while: “what about your own jewelry?”. I actually didn’t feel the need to create because I enjoyed discovering talents. But I had taken on artistic direction projects in the past, at Chaumet and Dinh Van, and I had really loved it.

When observing my customers, I noticed that they were looking for jewelry that was first and foremost easy to wear on a daily basis, with an original touch. I recognized myself in these expectations and I told myself: “well, we’re going to make that kind of jewelry!”.

Elegant and easy-to-wear collections, starting at 100 euros

What was the process like?

My first idea was to develop a line of earrings, with technical innovation to meet practical needs. Did you know that we organize regular piercing workshops in our stores ? In a relaxed atmosphere, over a snack, a professional comes by the store in the evening twice a month. Stacking multiple earrings, studs and other cuffs is trendy, and this is what gave us the idea to create this first line. So, we’ve developed a simple and innovative concept with a curved rod that replaces the classic earring clasp. The problem with wearing multiple earrings is the time you spend putting them on and taking them off… Our system makes it simple, fast and comfortable! You can keep your jewelry on day and night!

Do all of your earrings have that system?

Yes. We’ve drawn several designs, a small moon, a small star and 18k gold pieces. Prices start at around 100 euros. We also offer more sophisticated pieces with small gems, such as this little trio of pink sapphire or diamonds. We also offer more classic pieces as a nod to traditional jewelry, with princess cut diamonds or this buckle with a marquise diamond.

For our hoop earrings, we’ve also made sure to use a solid system that won’t get damaged after a few manipulations…

Where is your jewelry made?

Some collections are made in France and others in Asia. Some Asian countries are particularly good at setting small stones.

Easy-to-wear pieces that will spice up any outfit

After the initial idea, did you turn to colored stones?

Yes, and I made a second collection. I love colored diamonds or sapphires. I like gems a lot in general. Not necessarily “huge rocks”, but rather gems that have a soul, something beautiful, a particular color even if they’re a little dented, not perfect. I bought rows of briolette diamonds to make necklaces that look really great. It’s very pretty, delicate and modern at the same time.

Chic and easy to wear!

Exactly, it does the job when paired with a black dress and at the same time, you can wear jeans and a t-shirt, and it will dress up your outfit straight away.

You’re launching 4 models in this collection?

We’re presenting a chicer model in white gold with grey briolettes. We’ve imagined a necklace with slightly flat sapphires in various shapes, set. I particularly like this version with small classic cut diamonds that aren’t set, just pierced – it looks like a small diamond rosary.

You’ve been working in the jewelry industry for a very long time, what is your relationship with jewelry?

My relationship with jewelry is certainly special and will surprise you. I don’t grow attached to jewelry. I love jewelry, I love wearing it, but I absolutely don’t feel the need to own it. Maybe because I’ve always been surrounded by jewelry.

I love looking at the pieces, I love selling them, and I know who’s buying them but when they go… when they leave for someone else, I don’t mind.

For this first collection, it will be a little different because it’s a little more than just choosing them…

Who is your jewelry for?

Firstly, I think of our loyal customers, who regularly come and see our newest pieces, who will be particularly pleased, because they know me personally, to own a piece I’ve created.

Since we know them well, we thought of them when creating those: they like to have pieces they can just wear when they don’t feel inspired. They know that in any case, the piece will hit its mark…

What are your ambitions, in the medium-to-long term? Any other collections on the way?

We will carry on spontaneously, as I wish, while remaining attentive to trends and our customers. But whether we’ll stop taking in new designers… certainly not! I have too much fun discovering them!

In the end, it’s easy as ABC! It seems kind of obvious, and yet no one had done it before. Stéphanie Roger has taken all these good ideas to put them in her collections.

Easy-to-wear jewelry that will hit its mark regardless of your outfit: we love it here at LIKE A B.!

You can find WHITE bIRD’s collections and all of Stéphanie Roger’s favorites in the Paris stores as well as on the website: