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When Michele Sonner, the artist behind Michou, planned her first trip to Bali, where her intricate, handmade jewelry is created, she actually had to pull out an atlas to find exactly where the island is situated.
Although she had grown up in what she calls "an eclectic household full of beautiful and unique art objects from around the world," Michele had never been to Asia, the continent that so fascinated her. She had studied art in college and later opened an antique store specializing in Asian art.
On one of her buying trips to Switzerland, Michele discovered a collection of Balinese rings that she bought for the store. Her trained eye instantly recognized the granulation, or tiny beads, in the metalwork, techniques usually not seen outside of museums and very high-end galleries.
"I fell in love with the silver granulation with gold accents on these rings," Michele recalls. Already partial to jewelry in the purchases for her store, Michele returned to buy more only to find that her source recommended she go directly to Bali to find more jewelry, maybe even design her own.
Michele was so enthused she sold off her antiques to pay for the trip to the town of Celuk in Bali.
Like most people who visit Bali will tell you, the island changed Michele's life.
"I was overwhelmed in a good way," Michele says, noting that she quickly found herself embraced by the Balinese people and amazed by the craftsmanship that is so ingrained in the island's heritage.
"I started by purchasing ready made jewelry and clothing and making a small collection of my own designs," she says. That evolved into making more designs including her own ideas -- her vision of combining contemporary designs and ancient Balinese techniques.
Five years after her first visit, Michele launched Michou in 1987 at a trade show in New York City.
"I had two boards of my jewelry designs I showed to two women who owned a store in New York. They purchased and Michou was on its way. They still buy from me each season."
Although an expert in art, Michele Sonner, Michou's founder and designer, had never actually made her own jewelry.
Inspired by what she encountered on her first trip to Bali, Michele did her own research and experimenting to achieve her distinctive look: a combination of centuries-old goldsmithing techniques used and a modern aesthetic that made the jewelry suitable for everyday use.
Michele credits "two wonderful friends and mentors" who guided her through the first collections. While studying to be gemologist at the Gemological Institute of America, she met Paul Hupert, a New York-based colored gem dealer, "who would sit and talk to me about the quality of gemstones, where they came from etc. It was fascinating."
Soaking in what she learned, Michele developed her vision of what Michou should be.
"I had always loved the two techniques that I accent most of my designs with: granulation and filigree. The fact that they are handmade is important to me."
Michele also was an innovator in mixing metals. Instead of using these ancient techniques only on gold, she worked with her craftsmen to come up with designs in sterling silver and gold accents.
"I love starting with metals and creating something by hand that has so much detail," she says. "Granulation is what first drew me to wanting to create jewelry. The patterns that could be detailed with granulation fascinated me."
Over the years, Michele and her artisans have created original metal finishes, such as pearlessence, a hand textured matte finish that mimics how mother of pearl reflects light. Another is a diamond texture that sparkles. "I like to mix it with shiny and pearlescent finishes on a single piece."
Adding even more drama to her designs, Michele uses colored gemstones -- "almost any kind although hardly any opaque ones. I love rhodolite garnet and would accent every single piece with it if I could".
While there have been many collections that have evolved over the years at Michou, designer Michele Sonner keeps one thing in focus in all of them. Her own love of jewelry.
"I get a sense of empowerment from jewelry. There are some pieces I wear when I have to go into conflict and be strong," she says. "There are others that I wear when I am feeling romantic. Then there are my daily favorites that just happen to match my mood that day. I even have pieces of jewelry sitting in a case that I just have to look at and appreciate."
Each has its own back-story and reason for being. "It amazes me how much can be done in such a tiny space," she adds.
Michele describes her designs as "organic and feminine. I use colored stones as accents and I believe the pieces are versatile enough to be worn every day or for special occasions. I believe the mixed metal and stone combinations are what appeals to my customers." The fact that they are all handmade "I think gives them a softer feeling than a cast piece of jewelry."
While Bali is the original source of inspiration for her collections, Michele's travels have inspired collections as well as her own homestead, which she shares with her husband and son, near Lake Tahoe, California.
The night sky in Tahoe is an astronomer's dream, I try to look at it every night when I'm not traveling to Bali or someplace."
And when she's not traveling or designing, you just might catch Michele on the nearby ski slopes--she boasts--she can ski every day of the year if she wants. "The natural beauty of this spectacular and unspoiled haven" is also inspirational, she adds.
"One thing is for sure. Even when speeding down the slopes, Michele never misses a single detail. That's evident in her designs: from the finishes, sculptural shapes and even the varied cuts on Michou's gemstones: checkerboard, cabochon or the unusual cuts on her one-of-a-kind pieces.
Michele says: "I think it's the color combinations and stones mixed with metals of different textures."
A favorite of collector's, Michou is always evolving and expanding existing collections while coming up with the next big thing. And rest assured, Michele already has it in mind.
"My designs are wearable but have a bit of fantasy."
I have always loved Erte, Tiffany and Frank Lloyd Wright. I think this goes back to the beginning of my work career when I had an antique store and loved furniture and art objects.
I love Fendi and Missoni for the use of pattern and color.
I love Donna Karan -- I find the ease of her clothing inspired.
One of my statement cuffs, the Chrysalis pin and pendant are as a fabulous way that someone can express their individual style. Something from my one-of-a-kind collection, too.
1. An amazing cut velvet scarf.
2. A pair of comfortable high heels.
3. A perfect statement cuff bracelet.
4. Small handbag that you can tuck in your briefcase or tote.
5. A Southwestern style concho belt to wear with your favorite jeans.
Since I have so many collections, my clients run the gamut from conservative to way out there.
A lightweight, flowy cotton dress with lace inserts. They are made in Bali and I wear them all the time when I'm there working on my collections.
Burlington, Vermont where my son has started college. Otherwise I'm at home in Lake Tahoe.
My warrior woman cuff made from 22K gold opal, topaz and diamonds that I wear to special occasions or whenever I need to feel powerful.
Audrey Hepburn for her classical grace. Madonna in her Material Girl days, when she was so adept at reinventing herself.
I think a piece from my one-of-a-kind collections where I use green amethyst, blue chalcedony, labradorite or 0pal would make a great gift. I love the idea of giving a one-of-a-kind piece that will never be duplicated.
My husband gave me a stunning Dutch Schultz vase. I love that piece because it has every color in the rainbow in it and I love the way the sunlight hits the different colors.
A woman who loves jewelry passionately and has a wardrobe of different jewels. Someone who understands or wants to learn more of what they are looking at when they see a piece of jewelry -- stones, techniques, metal content, finishes, etc.
Just about every night she's at her home near Lake Tahoe, Michou's Michele Sonner sits on her deck and gazes into the sky. "It's so clear I can see the Milky Way and even satellites passing overhead." The deep rich midnight sky inspired her Constellation collection which features blue rainbow moonstone backed with a black lacquer that gives an other worldly iridescence to the gem. Michele mixes her midnight blues with other blue and purple gemstones in a minimalist, simple geometric style, which happens to be both elegant and denim friendly.
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Originally Michou's designer Michele Sonner called this collection "'emergence'--because the pearl was emerging through a crack in the sphere shape like a flower coming up in the garden after a long winter." The silver has Michou's own distinctive finish called Pearlessent, a hand finished texture that mimics the way mother of pearl reflects light. The Chrysalis collection carries even more meaning that Michele initially expected. "A women's group in California adopted it as a symbolic gift given to women who felt they broke the traditional mold," Michele adds.
On her travels over the years, Michele Sonner, Michou's designer, has amassed quite a collection of extraordinary gemstone specimens. "I started this collection as a way to use the larger gemstones I love--like opals and tourmalines--in special cuts and shapes I've found." Michele loves to match various colored gems with the flashes of color found in her beloved opals. Each piece has a distinct palette of colors that remains the primary focus of the piece and the design.
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