Inner Circle

Having designed jewelry for a number of big houses, Balenciaga designer Charlotte Chesnais has branched out on her own. And if you found yourself on the endless wait list for the set of five golden rings from Nicolas Ghesquiere’s final collection for Balenciaga, you may already be a fan of Chesnais’s work. The 30-year old Parisian designer, who holds a degree from the renowned school Studio Bercot, spent nearly a decade at the French house, overseeing the archive-inspired Edition line before starting up the jewelry collection in 2009. She left Balenciaga just after Ghesquiere did- she had lost her master she says- but not before debuting the bow bracelets that have since become an Alexander Wang signature.

Having spent the past two years freelancing for a slew of other brands- Kenzo, Maiyet, and Paco Rabanne where she designs the coveted chain mail bags- Chesnais has now set out on her own. Sensual, striking and unique, the tightly edited collection is composed of undulating metal pieces that spiral around the body: vermeil cuffs coil up the hand; interlocking circular earrings orbit the lobes; four finger rings in alternating bands of gold and silver, and each one is a beautiful object, even just sitting on the table. Chesnais recently won the accessories award of the French ANDAM prize, and likes her designs to be pure and charming, but at the same time round and not aggressive. Available in boutiques including the Line, FiveStory and Opening Ceremony. www.instagram.com/charlottechesnais