Interview Louise Kopij by Label AÉ Paris

Nourished by curiosity, Louise Kopij is a creative artist in love with life, people and matter. This love, she transmits it in each of the jewels of her eponymous brand. Discover her journey in this interview rich in meaning and love for art and people. The founder confides in it with passionate spontaneity to give back to herself and to all artists the recognition that is theirs : that of possessing an infinitely rich and unique creative intelligence.

Can you introduce yourself in a few words ?

I am Louise Kopij, self-taught jewelry artist, mom, friend, a human on Earth ! I have been active in the jewelry business for fifteen years. Jewels are for me real magic objects, I create them to heal myself. I was raised by my mom. She quickly understood that I was a restless child and that the only times I was calm was when I was creating. She therefore used this mode of operation a lot to appease the house and it remained. Thanks to her for giving me the space I needed to develop this aspect of my personality.

I work my collections like works of art. For each collection, I receive like mental flashes, which I call visions. They give the theme of the whole work. Then I study the subject from a theoretical way to develop a solid narrative, and from a technical and commercial point of view for the development of the jewelry range. I love this mix of pure creativity and the need for functionality of an object that must be worn, loved, last a long time, be made with respect for the living, the production teams, myself and of course the customers : This is a clever and exciting balancing act ! I only work with natural materials and I have a weakness for asymmetrical stone earrings. Each collection, each stone and each person who wears the jewel is different. I have the impression of making unique pieces in series !

I work with a team of Belgian jewelers who ensure mass production. Thanks to them because they are great people. Nowhere else I have seen so much courage, energy, intelligence, attentiveness, benevolence in the service of the group, in the service of beauty. In my experience, creative ecosystems are one of the most beautiful social organizations.

Today I live my job as if I were an intermediary between Plato’s world of ideas and the concrete world. I bring these beautiful objects into the world. I have the chance to create treasures in the service of the Other: there too, thank you. For me, these are real talismans at the service of the magic, the living and the energy that passes through us. Everything is done as a team, with a lot of love and care. Here everything takes time, from the maturation of the idea to the realization of the gift for your loved one: it is made by humans, for other humans, at the rhythm of life. I created a company and I am lucky to be able to adapt to reality by infusing the structure with values ​​that make sense to me. Thank you, for being there, and for being part of this process.

What are your main sources of inspiration ?

I studied a little neurology and brain ergonomics in order to understand the modus operandi of creative brains. The question of the natural selection of artists and that of how to feed this particular brain challenged me a lot. I understood through my research that creative intelligences are structured at rest. During these moments, the creative intelligences combine their discoveries and create new connections between their neurons, and therefore new ideas. In my case, these moments are conducive to opening up possibilities. I then find out about everything that might interest me: a lot of popular science (I am a real astronomy nerd), dinosaurs, sociology, aesthetics. I am also very interested in the evolution of concepts of beauty through time and history. I find that the history of art, painting, philosophy and economics are fascinating subjects. So there you have it, the birth of creativity !

Regarding the idea factory itself, philosophers on France culture (radio station) had enlightened me on the subject. It appears that for most genius ideas there are several stages. It is first a question of developing important knowledge on a subject (therefore becoming an expert after years of acquired skills). Then, you have to take a break since the creative brain is always structured at rest. Then an idea occurs. Here it is a question of taking note since it is evanescent these little things! The next step is courage. Nothing else. A new idea, a new concept is not obvious to any player in the sector when it arrives. It’s about managing to stay the course against winds and tides. In fact, great ideas have often been accidental. For example, Newton was thrown out of the university where he worked because of an epidemic, he spent a long time doing nothing in the countryside… He then conceptualized gravity !

Finally, as far as my very small area of ​​expertise is concerned, there is a whole methodology for making a range of jewelry that meets the needs of the body, the sociology of the moment and the market. It therefore takes adaptation to reality and a lot of resilience.

You defend slow and responsible production. Can you tell us more about your approach ?

This approach has always been there. My dad worked in development cooperation when I was a child. As a result, the notions of international trade, the world bank, market shares, global interdependence, limited resources, exploitation of populations and Earth, were among the notions that structured my thinking. I have always been aware of production issues. If Europe empties itself of its craftsmen and its means of production, we will no longer weigh very heavily in the geopolitical stakes. For example, do you remember the shortage of masks ?

As a result, it has always been obvious to favor what makes sense : to produce by hand, in Belgium, solid, beautiful objects, respectful of the living. I don’t know how I could do otherwise, it would destroy me. But there is also the reality on the ground. After all these years, I have finally found a stone supplier who respects the Earth and humans: it is a great joy ! I will finally be able to work with ethical stones from winter 2022 and that makes me really happy.

Do you have a favorite piece ? If yes, which one and why ?

The next ! Why stop at what has already been done ? I’m like all creative people, as soon as a project is finished, no matter how much work has been invested, all that interests me is the next project (laughs). More seriously, the Galaxy ring, I can’t get enough of it. I’ve been wearing it every day for 6 months and it’s a real crush. At the same time, wearing a galaxy-shaped chalcedony geode on your finger is a feeling of sweet power, so thank you universe! The day I wore it I asked myself in marriage… and I said yes (laughs) ! Moreover, it is about to arrive on the Label AÉ, enjoy !

What do you think is timeless fashion ?

I think that any object or concept is the fruit of its environment. We may be lucky enough to produce an object that will work for several seasons, but in the end, we remain the fruit of influences that cross our time. For example, Egyptian jewelry is wonderful. They are the cross result of mystics, artisanal and pre-industrial practices, the emergence of an aristocratic class able to afford them, campaigns of conquest that give access to Sudanese gold mines, etc. In summary, nothing is timeless, everything is contextualized and that is the delight of art history ! Fashion offers this incredibly rich playground between sociology, industry, politics, craftsmanship and aesthetics, plus direct contact with a host of wonderful people. I love.

Why did you choose the AÉ Label to represent your brand ?

When Eddy told me about his nomadic wardrobe concept, I had already understood everything by watching his shooting work. I then said to myself : they are good, here we go ! Indeed, the narration of the shootings is clear, powerful, contemporary and very relevant. In addition, the team is ultra professional and the internal management is a real pleasure. Choosing Label AÉ means choosing to work with people who are both good artists and beautiful people with a real purpose. It’s important to me. Thanks to Eddy for his trust and lots of love to the team !