Iki Galerie

The upscale shops along rue du Pont Louis-Philippe—one of the thoroughfares connecting the Ile Saint Louis and the Marais—fall into three categories: original women’s clothing, high-end stationers and some of the more interesting jewelry to be found in the Marais, including the new Iki Galerie, the latest and most unusual shop on the two-block lineup. Owner Colette Gohel has represented artisanal jewelry and textile designers for 20 years, first in Rennes and since last November in Paris. Her new light-filled space offers an ideal venue for the 20 or so independent jewelry makers represented here.

The Japanese word iki conveys a notion of innate sophistication combined with a touch of audacity or daring, says Gohel, who describes her jewelry as having a “natural elegance” imbued with the graceful forms found in nature. Marie Charpentier’s sculpted silver bracelets and necklaces resemble undersea corals with smooth pearlescent centers. Lorna Balteanu’s intricate necklaces of macramé silk cord are laced with tiny pearls, and Armel Barroud’s whimsical Calderesque fish earrings and double tiger-head necklace are shaped in gold, red and silver wire. Gohel also stresses the jewelry’s approachability—all of the pieces are one-of-a-kind or made in very limited editions, but their artiness is not assertive and they can easily be worn everyday. For a final flourish, Iki also carries a small selection of highly original silk and cashmere scarves.

18 rue du Pont Louis-Philippe, 4th, 01.44.61.44.27. website

Originally published in the January 2012 issue of France Today