The Yak #40

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chunky Maharaja ring catches the light with a profusion of glittering amethysts, diamonds and tanzanite. French designer, Laurent Decaix, arrived in Bali 14 years ago and fell in love with the natural beauty of the island, as well as Bali’s ideal location close to so many Southeast Asian regions where he could search for unique and rare precious stones. With a keen eye for the unusual, he sources out stones that inspire him to create, and produces bespoke pieces based on his client’s desires. He says, “ Women dream and I create it. Basically, I just create amazing pieces for amazing people. That’s just my style.” With successful boutiques in Paris, Hong Kong and Bali and another shop in Jakarta in the works, Laurent clearly has no trouble finding amazing people who encourage him to create his exquisite designs. First & De is located on jalan petitenget. Tel: 0361 4735 917 www.feltzandde.com Nagicia Korean-American Tricia Naga had always been intrigued about Bali, so when her experience studying fine jewellery in Paris and New York landed her an interview with John Hardy, she jumped at the chance to come to the Bali to run his design and sample-making department. Over the years, she worked hard, learned more-about traditional Balinese techniques and travelled across Southeast Asia seeking new inspiration. She tried her hand at making jewellery in Kathmandu and Jaipur, but something about Bali kept drawing her back. In 2000 she founded Nagicia in Bali, and the company has been taking the jewellery world by storm ever since. Tricia draws her inspiration from nature and the energy of gemstones and symbols. She uses an eclectic mix of materials in her pieces, including carvings, plong work, resin, gemstones and coloured metals all set professionally in exquisite settings. She says, “My customers are fashion aware yet down to earth. They like to show off the bling but are consciously choosing to wear a piece of jewellery with good energy and meaning behind each piece.” When it comes to what makes her jewellery stand out from the rest, she says, “The stories behind each collection are the extra bonus that brings it to the next level. I try to teach or bring awareness to my fans and collectors.” www.nagicia.com Tulola Although Sri Luce Rusna spent the first five years of her life in New York City with her American father and Balinese mother (the renowned designer Desak Nyoman Suarti) it wasn’t until she moved to Bali that she began to develop a deep appreciation for jewellery design and traditional Balinese craftsmanship. Inspired by the creative energy of

Bali, the talents of the traditional artisans and the diversity and vibrancy of the cultures here, it was a natural progression for Sri to create her own handcrafted jewellery line, which she named Tulola after her daughter. Founded in 2011, Tulola presents collections that are a blend of ancient craftsmanship and modern design. Sri says, “Our brand lies in our jeweller’s studio. It is at the centre of all that we do–where we conceive collections and craft each and every piece. In terms of craftsmanship, this is what makes our jewellery different.” Sri works with local artisans from Bali and Java to handcraft pieces that feature intricate metalwork, natural motifs like flowers and leaves, and striking gemstones. In just two short years, Tulola has already earned the Yak Award for “Best Jewellery Design“ in 2012, a spot on Fashion TV, and plenty of attention from celebrities as diverse as Courtney Love and Kelly Rowland. www.tuloladesigns.com JFF After graduating from the École des Beaux Arts in Lyon in the 1960s, eclectic French designer Jean-François Fichot spent years travelling the old Silk Trail route through Asia exploring ancient cultures, collecting unique treasures and soaking up the arts and cultures of the exotic places he visited. In 1978 he decided to settle in Ubud, where he teamed up with a group of Balinese craftsmen and began designing and producing one-of-a-kind jewellery and extraordinary objets d’art that quickly became renowned around the world for their unique mix of organic and antique materials and tribal elements. Up until his death in 2011, Jean-Francois put his passion and keen eye for beauty into creating wearable pieces of art, and today the tradition lives on in his niece and creative heir Chloe Rappy and JFF’s dedicated team of craftsmen. Chloe says, “Bali, the culture, the people and the nature is our main inspiration but the Eastern cultures in general are too. Our materials come from all over the world. We see beauty in certain materials where others may not and we give them a second life by using them in our collections. And most people are amazed with the end result.” Part of the appeal of the pieces from the JFF collections are that they are not just jewellery, but works of art that are unique, elegant and reminiscent of the mysteries of Eastern cultures. www.jf-f.com

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