What about diving into creating your own colorful jewelry? It's THE spring trend sweeping across Insta and Pinterest: picking your beads, chains, charms, and style to craft a unique piece that will be 100% pleasing to you. But where to get the necessary materials? We've found three spots to craft (or buy ready-made!) the most personal accessory in your jewelry box. Secret to share: the hardest part will be making choices...
Kchoush
It was upon revisiting photos of her grandmother Ida, adorned in magnificent sets, that Lola decided to create Kchoush in 2020, with a fantastic corner now set up at the Bon Marché. Chic! For her, jewelry is synonymous with memories, stories, and love. The look? A gold necklace adorned with "kchoush," meaning charm in Judeo-Arabic jargon. Ultra-colorful, the necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and brooches are infinitely customizable.
Each charm carries a meaning: the cherry symbolizes the sweetness of life, love, and fertility, the seashell represents femininity, birth, and good fortune, the protective red heart symbolizes passionate love and emotional protection, or against the evil eye, the fish symbolizes protection and insight.
We're smitten with the Mamie Perla à Saida chili earring (€15), the Mamie Roberte à Biskra necklace (€121), the chunky link Mamie FatBabouch bracelet in Manoubia (€62), or the blown glass banana pendant (€10), colorful mushroom (€7), and articulated silver fish (€25).
Kchoush, stand at the Bon Marché, 24 rue de Sèvres, Paris 7th. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 7:45 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 7:45 pm.
La Perlerie 22
We're dropping the best address for shopping all the necessary materials to make your own charm jewelry. In this Marais boutique, the walls are covered with beads, pendants, clasps, rings, and everything you need to create any talisman. At the back of the store, it's even possible to cut various models of gold or silver chains to make your necklace or bracelet. Don't hesitate to ask for some advice on assembling your creation and buying the right materials.
How much for a necklace? Expect to pay between €0.20 and €2 for beads depending on their size, €1.90 for the rings that connect the charms to the necklace, and €6 for the chain. In total, budget between €20 and €25 for a well-stocked beautiful necklace. Remember, don't forget to bring two pliers, one of them cutting, as without them, it will be difficult to assemble your jewelry.
La Perlerie 22, 22 rue du Temple, Paris 4th. Open Monday to Friday from 10 am to 7 pm and Saturday from 12 pm to 7 pm.
Workshop to Make Your Own Jewelry
Need some pro tips before you start? We found a workshop in central Paris that allows you to create your necklace from A to Z. Everything is provided! All you have to do is choose the color of your cotton cord, 3 colored medals, and you're ready to assemble the precious piece. Delphine guides her students to transform these elements into a sublime trendy piece of jewelry. When your piece is finished, we share a snack with a hot or iced tea and a delicious cake. Joy!
Another idea to enhance your pretty chains with new charms: a workshop to make your medallion. We start by discovering the tools and techniques that will help us cut and smooth a silver plate to obtain a medal. Then all you have to do is choose your constellation to solder onto the piece. Justine, who accompanies you, takes care of setting two semi-precious stones to form the stars and voilà! You leave with a new charm to hang on your favorite necklace or bracelet.
Necklace Making Workshop, Paris 18th, 2-hour workshop, price: €45. Online booking.
Medal Creation Workshop, Paris 2nd, 2-hour workshop, price: €115. Online booking.
Also, discover Candice Fauchon: the most beautiful pajamas in Paris and Spring Trends to Remember.
