If you are looking for a beautiful piece of jewellery with a colourful backstory consider Anpé Atelier Cph. Founded in Copenhagen back in 2017 by 33-year-old Line Jacobsen, it was on a trip to Sri Lanka (when she was then a lawyer) that she was overwhelmed by all the beauty and bright colours featured in every aspect of daily life. From the houses, spices and womens’ dresses (saris!), to colourful temples, markets, nature, and, of course, the jewellery! These splashes of colour and life and then a meeting with a man in the gem trade were the perfect inspiration for her to create Anpé Atelier Cph.
“I’ve always had a passion for creativity, fashion and the making of beautiful things. I have always been creative! Since I was a small girl, I’ve had hundreds of creative projects, and always starting new ones.” The designer told YCB. “I like the process from idea to finished product – whether it’s a 3 year old pearl-necklace to your mom or – like now – the start of an idea for a design, the first few drawings of it, handpicking the gemstones for that particular design, working with small small finishing details of that design and to finally having the final beautiful piece in hand.”
It was Line’s strong sense of creativity mixed with her fascination of jewellery that led to this line being launched in January of this year. “I’ve always been fascinated with jewellery – my grandma have this amazing big gold ring, that I’ve always admired, and that she can pass on to her daughters, who can pass it on to their daughters and so on. I like the thought of jewellery being sustainable in the sense, that it’s timeless, and can be passed on through generations – that it’s meaningful and precious in every sense.” She said.
Clearly her new job is quite a departure from her career as a lawyer. Though Line enjoyed her time as a lawyer she always felt that she wasn’t quite in the right place. With her new company she says, “I really love that my job gives me the opportunity to be involved in some of people’s most important and moving moments of their lives. I just customised an engagement ring with the most spectacular colour-changing sapphire and diamonds – and being a part of this person’s decision making, and getting a glimpse of their lives and story together and the proposal is very touching and makes me very happy.”
As for the design process every piece is made as per the customer’s order. That means each and every piece are made for that specific customer. “Thus, we avoid overproduction and waste – and each piece of jewellery becomes exactly as the customer wishes,” Line explains.
The brand currently has two collections: the Scandinavian Simplicity Collection and the Classic Complexity Collection.
The Classic Complexity Collection is made up of unique pieces with bigger gemstones. Each and every one of these pieces are handmade with handpicked colorful gemstones – each piece in the Classic Complexity Collection is unique, and there will never be 2 exactly identical of the same design.
For the Scandinavian Simplicity Collection, the gemstones are selectively handpicked by the designer so that the colour of the stones are exactly right for that specific design.
“Once I have picked the gemstone and the exact colour, that is the colour we’re working with for that particular design,” Line said. “However, for both collections it’s a rule that if a customer for example comes across a design that she/he really adores, but then prefers it in a different colour, different stone, metal or other details, that can in fact be done.
“In this case the customer will be involved in the whole design process and choosing the colours and stones for the design, so that it’s perfect for her.
“(Almost) anything is possible, and I love working on making my customers colour-dreams come true.”
Line has been working on some new designs with her teams in Sri Lanka and India.
“The past few months I’ve created 12 new designs for the Classic Complexity Collection plus 14 pieces for the Malene Series – they are finally done and SO perfect. So at the moment a lot of my time is also spent on working to launch these new pieces, and there’s a lot of fun work involved in taking photos and talking to the graphic designer about the webpage. Initially I used a photographer to photograph the jewels, but I love photographing so much myself, so I am doing that as well now. I like to be part of the whole process, and it’s a great learning experience everyday as well.”
She sees the ideal customer of Anpe Atelier Cph as “sparkling, stylish and happy women with a love for both color and simplicity – or the boyfriends and husbands of such women. It’s women who wants designs and materials that last for a lifetime.”
There are lots of great jewellery brands out there but Anpé Atelier Copenhagen is creating a new category of fine jewellery by fusing Scandinavia’s clean lines and the vibrant pops of colour from the East. Anpé Atelier Copenhagen is an outlet for creativity, a splash of colour and a love-note to all things beautiful! The line is a departure from the classic jewellery frames of cocktail pieces, bold statement pieces of every day jewellery. “We’re trying to do it differently and create jewellery that is both everyday luxury and still amazing for that special occasion. Our distinct vision is to innovate the Scandinavian fine jewellery scene and make it more coluorful and playful. I want to challenge the way people think of precious and fine jewellery – diamonds are beautiful, but precious and fine jewellery doesn’t have to have diamonds. I use diamonds as side-stones in some of my designs, and the colourful gemstones as center- and mainstones,” she said.
Mostly Line Jacobsen just wanted to create a line that attempted to capture the amazing vivacious colours of Sri Lanka. “I got inspired by the colourful way of living in every aspect when I went there: from houses, spices and textiles to colourful temples, mosques, markets, nature, and the most amazing colourful jewels. Sri Lanka is combining a laidback way of living surrounded by a 24/7 coloursplash so amazing.
“It’s very different from Scandinavia, where we’re mostly surrounded by very minimalistic designs, whether it’s clothing, jewellery, buildings or interior design.
“I love and adore Scandinavian design, and I wanted to mix the colourful and magical east with the minimalistic north. So my inspiration comes from both home – the Scandinavian simplicity – and from my travels. Especially from travels to colourful places. I’ve just been to Mexico, Morocco and Bali, and my sketch book is loaded with new first stage sketches and ideas for design – that is purely inspired by these places!”
