Medecine Douce

As much as I love the feel of Canal St. Martin, I can't help but be a little disappointed when, from time-to-time, I wander around there. Nothing much has developed during the last year and it still feels at a cross-roads-verging on something but remaining kind of flat. There is the new, beautiful APC store which no doubt caters to the well-off 30s-40s crowd that always seems to float around there, and there are some good restaurants; plus the opening of Galerie Impaire on rue, Lancry last year was a nice addition. Maybe I expect the New York pace of things when in a year a neighborhood or street is in and out. I should relax and just keep checking things out, hoping to discover something interesting, like I did last week with the small jewelry store, Medecine Douce, 10, rue Marseille. A beautiful store with workshop/studio attached, offers lovely everyday-pieces ranging from long, loopy gold chains, dangling earrings with small smooth stones, patina rings with semi-precious stones. The items are well priced, particularly considering they have a new stand at Bon Marche-- so now might be a good time to pick something up--before that changes.

Discovered: Fiona Paxton

A review caught my attention today from the latest JC report, www.jcreport.com, a fashion industry newsletter, about the necklaces by Fiona Paxton. Paxton graduated from the Royal College of Art in the early 1990s and worked for years at major fashion houses including Cholé and Armani. She has now set out on her own, creating beautiful, hand embrodiered and textile based necklaces and draped accessories. She combines the use of ancient threading and embrodiery techniques with silver and metal chains and beads to make unique, eye catching pieces.The scarves are full of color and pattern, an influence of India can be detected. The necklaces tend to stay more neutral with white, gray and black accented with the metal pieces. Check it out, www.fiona-paxton.com

Brooklyn made jewelery

Randi Mates is an up and coming jewelry designer based in Brooklyn, New York. Her company is called Aesa, a Greek word whose meaning can refer to hope; a personification of a destiny; or an ancient Greek muse who inspires, delights, protects and accompanies you on your path.

Her recent collections seem to fit exactly into these ideas. There is something romantic, ancient, modern, delicate yet strong about her designs. Using mostly sterling silver and 14 or 18 karat gold, her inspiration and aesthetic suggests a direct influence of the natural world with such motifs as leaf like patterns, geological structures or aquatic plants. In her Fall 2007 collection these structural components where offset by super delicate chain links, whether for long necklaces or dangly earrings. In the Spring 2008 collection the strong, Brooklyn girl seems to be more present. The chains are sturdier, the silver maybe more tarnished for a sexy, yet solid appeal. At heart though is a handmade approach to the jewelry and a real uniqueness in the contrasts of her interests that produces beautiful and eventually classic pieces you will keep in your collection for a lifetime.


Items are available at select stores in New York and hopefully soon in Paris. Check the website for details, www.aesajewelry.com