About

Jen Neame-Collins

small_aMHzzTgW.jpg

I create every unique bag and piece of jewelry in my studio in south west France

I call the individual shapes I use to create the work "charms". The jewellery is durable and very lightweight - you can wear dramatic statement pieces all day and night. No piece is ever the same, even working from the same design, colours and details always change. So each piece is an exclusive one off.   

The Bags

It started when I bought a lovely but tatty vintage bag at a brocante here in France. It needed a new life so I thought I’d decorate it with some charms.
Things took off from there, I bought more bags from Vinted, Ebay etc and started to work on the collection. It’s taken a year to get here - it took time to work out how to attach the charms to each different bag, and which designs work on which type of bag.
The bags have from 100 to 300 charms on them. The one thing I have learned is that I always need way more charms than I think I do!

Custom Orders

Jewelry -if you want any peice of jewelry in different colours or size.
Bags - if you want any design in another colour palette, or size, I can find the bag. Have you got a bag that needs a new start in life?
GET IN TOUCH! 
I am very happy to work with you to create the perfect piece for you.

In My Studio

in-the-studio_gwKNBRkP.jpg

Each piece is individually made .

 I first paint the background papers with colourful textures, then add  gold, silver or copper leaf patterns.  The individual "charm" shapes are then cut from the background papers, and glued together with several more layers of paper. I layer on further colour and pattern to achieve the ornately decorative finished effect. The layers of quality paper give rigidity and strength, and  I finish them with two coats of waterproof varnish.
 I then create the jewelry and bags, putting the charms together in different combinations, each piece is totally unique. Both sides are decorated, so however the jewelry moves , it always gives the same effect.