Irène Studio: The World in the Palm of Your Hand

September 17, 2020

By Katerina Perez

6 min read

How many times have you heard a designer declare that architecture was the source of inspiration for their collection? More than once, I’m sure. But it would be no exaggeration to say that the way in which this inspiration manifested itself for Marie Genon, the founder of Irène Studio, was innovative. A former scenographer who worked on the most extraordinary fashion shows imagined by Karl Lagerfeld and realised by Stefan Lubrina, Marie has combined her experience of working outside the jewellery profession with the craftsmanship of the renowned Parisian atelier Bermudes. Together, they have created three debut pieces that feature in Act I of the Scenography high jewellery collection, inspired by the world-famous Grand Palais, one of Paris’ most iconic monuments.

Why exactly did this building serve as the inspiration for these three Scenography jewels: a brooch, cuff bracelet and cocktail ring? To find out, we must travel back in time…

Irène Studio moodboard

Irène Studio moodboard

The starting point for the establishment of Irène Studio was Karl Lagerfeld’s Fall / Winter 2012 ready-to-wear fashion show and its quartz-studded décor at the Grand Palais. The project then gradually came to me over the course of eight years, while I was working on fashion shows and set designs. The level of precision and detail required grew more sophisticated and the methods more precise. Working with metal in my previous profession, which is part of the mock-up process, allowed me to achieve precision when it came to jewellery and was what pushed me to enrol at the Haute École de Joaillerie in Paris. I wanted to hone my technical skills and bring ideas to life using precious materials.

Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in white gold, diamonds, rock crystal, aquamarine and emeralds cabochons

Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in white gold, diamonds, rock crystal, aquamarine and emeralds cabochons

 Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in white gold, diamonds, rock crystal, aquamarine and emeralds cabochons

Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in white gold, diamonds, rock crystal, aquamarine and emeralds cabochons

 Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in the making

Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in the making

 Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in the making

Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in the making

 Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in the making

Irène Studio The Nave cuff bracelet in the making

 Irène Studio cuff bracelet from Scenography collection

Irène Studio cuff bracelet from Scenography collection

It could be said that the brand was born when sketching jewels was no longer enough for Marie. That moment when she decided to follow her heart to tell a story, the narrative of which is focused on precious stones viewed through the prism of her many years of work with one of the most talented designers and artists of the 20th century.

Irène Studio The Glass Roof opening ring from the Scenography collection

Irène Studio The Glass Roof opening ring from the Scenography collection

The first part of the Scenography collection – Act I – is a jewellery interpretation of the glass roof of the Grand Palais that embodies all the passion, courage and creative impulse of the beginning of the last century in Paris. It can be seen in the three pieces in different ways: in the ring as a reduced-size model (1:5,000), and in the cuff and brooch as a reimagined architectural drawing. Marie has in essence reinvented the great palace in white gold, diamonds, rock crystal, colourless sapphires, aquamarines and emeralds.

Irène Studio the Glass Roof opening ring from the Scenography collection made in gold with diamonds, white sapphires and rock crystal

Irène Studio the Glass Roof opening ring from the Scenography collection made in gold with diamonds, white sapphires and rock crystal

 Irène Studio the Glass Roof opening ring from the Scenography collection

Irène Studio the Glass Roof opening ring from the Scenography collection

 The reverse of the Glass Roof opening ring by Irène Studio

The reverse of the Glass Roof opening ring by Irène Studio

 Creative process. The Glass Roof opening ring by Irène Studio

Creative process. The Glass Roof opening ring by Irène Studio

 The Glass Roof opening ring in the making

The Glass Roof opening ring in the making

 The Glass Roof opening ring in the making

The Glass Roof opening ring in the making

The supporting “frame” of the bracelet is inspired by the scaffolding, captured in photographs during the construction of the palace in 1898, on which vines climb and streams of water flow downwards (note how the aquamarine cabochons run along gold “rails” and even make a soft sound reminiscent of falling rain). The bracelet’s crowning element is a four-sided star, which mimics the silhouette of the Grand Palais’ central dome, realised in white gold and covered with a mosaic of hand-carved rock crystal pieces.

Irène Studio. The Glass Roof opening ring in the making

Irène Studio. The Glass Roof opening ring in the making

Incidentally, you will notice that the most interesting details on the cuff and brooch are not displayed on the exterior but incorporated into the reverse of the pieces. If you look closely through the rock crystal, you can see an incredibly detailed drawing of the palace dome, depicted in cut-out gold. This is a real innovation because the technique used for such delicate work has not, in principle, been used in jewellery before – it was borrowed from the world of scenography and was Marie’s idea. After several months of experimentation and a lot of trial and error, the craftsmen at Bermudes succeeded in achieving the desired result.

The Dome brooch in white gold with rock crystal and diamonds by Irène Studio

The Dome brooch in white gold with rock crystal and diamonds by Irène Studio

 The reverse of the Dome brooch by Irène Studio

The reverse of the Dome brooch by Irène Studio

Creating the Scenography opening ring was also no easy feat. The stone carver put considerable effort into recreating the voluminous dome in tiny rock crystal elements. Inherently quite fragile, it required great skill, patience and time to cut more than 30 elements, each a couple of millimetres in size, out of the rock crystal. The next step was to set them in gold, with several parts cracking in the process, requiring them to be cut again. But thanks to Marie and the jewellers’ pursuit of perfection, someone will now be able to own this masterpiece of a jewel. The last of the three pieces is a delicate brooch, set with a 1.00 carat diamond in the centre – a tribute to Karl Lagerfeld, who regularly wore Belperron brooches on his tie.

The Dome brooch in white gold with rock crystal and diamonds by Irène Studio

The Dome brooch in white gold with rock crystal and diamonds by Irène Studio

Now that I have introduced you to Act I of the Scenography collection, I would like to add a couple of words about its creator. Born in Belgium, Marie Genon relies exclusively on GIA certified diamonds from Antwerp that meet the Kimberley Process criteria. Irène Studio turned out to be very personal for Marie, which is clearly mirrored in its name: Marie lent it her middle name, which is also the name of her artist grandmother. The principle behind Irène Studio is a thorough study of each stage in the jewellery-making process, uniting emotions and techniques to reflect what we see around us. In so doing, Marie has, in effect, made the whole world her stage, with Act I of this virtuoso performance the three exquisite jewels from the Scenography high jewellery collection

Piaget: “The Sky’s the Limit” or the Story of Five New Polo Emperador Exceptional Watches

continue reading

Haute Couture 2025: Exploring Harmonious Balance with the Cartier En Équilibre High Jewellery Collection

Each of the En Équilibre hero creations is composed like a character in a story that we can easily follow. Let’s take a closer look… 

by Sarah Jordan

Haute Couture 2025: A Botanical Reawakening with the Chaumet Jewels by Nature Collection

From magnolia blooms to iris petals caught in the breeze, Chaumet’s Jewels by Nature is a high jewellery collection rooted in the way Empress Joséphine romanticised the natural world.

by Claire Roberts

Setting Themselves Apart: 7 Designers Rethinking the Role of the Gemstone Setting

In jewellery making, the setting is often a silent partner—a technical necessity that secures the stones in place while receding into the background. But a new generation of designers is flipping that script, transforming the process of setting gems into an expressive, sculptural and narrative force.

by Claire Roberts

Beauty of Beginnings: Exploring the Potential of Paper with Katerina Perez

If you are optimistic by nature, you may look at a blank sheet of paper and see limitless opportunities for creativity. Recently, my friend and visual artist Ksenia Usacheva approached me about a new ‘blank canvas’ inspired editorial project, incorporating reams of white paper, brushstrokes of colourful paint, and beautiful high jewellery.

by Ksenia Usacheva

Haute Couture 2025: Stepping Inside ‘Caroline’s Universe’ with the Chopard Red Carpet Collection

Let's take a closer look at some of Caroline Scheufele's latest colourful adornments, including our 10 favourite pieces.

by Sarah Jordan

Beauty Shapes Tomorrow: Nouvel Héritage Unveils High Jewels for 10th Anniversary

For French brand Nouvel Héritage, the time has come to unveil its debut suite of five high jewellery creations, each one an ode to its iconic Mood and Latch collections, as well as the soon-to-be-launched Try Me line.

by Sarah Jordan

Incomparable Artistry: The Legendary Story of Beverly Hills Jewellery Designer Martin Katz 

This formidable Californian jeweller has spent decades sourcing the finest coloured gemstones, creating one-of-a-kind jewels, and dressing famous celebrities. Let me tell you more about an incomparable jewellery tour de force…

by Sarah Jordan

Prophecy and Poetry: The Story Behind My Bespoke Pendant by El’eeté Jewellery

Sometimes universal forces align to put the right person in your path at the perfect time. That was absolutely the case when one of my Instagram followers, Elvira Iurova, the Founder of El’eeté Jewellery, contacted me to introduce her unique bespoke jewellery concept.

by Katerina Perez

Haute Couture 2025: The Most Impressive Flower High Jewels that Bloomed in Paris

Floral jewels have long been a hallmark of high jewellery, but at this year’s Haute Couture presentations in Paris, designers approached the motif with renewed focus and technical ambition. Here, we spotlight the standout floral creations from the 2025 shows.

by Joshua Hendren

Haute Couture 2025: Celebrating 20 Years with the Messika Terres d’Instinct High Jewellery Collection 

Let’s take a closer look at the collection, including some of its neckwear highlights, and discover its romantic inspirations…

by Sarah Jordan

Haute Couture 2025: Exploring the Debut High Jewellery Collection of Sahag Arslanian

This July’s Haute Couture Week in Paris was marked with the exciting launch of a new high jewellery brand that bears the name of its founder. Third-generation diamantaire Sahag Arslanian presented his inaugural series of high jewels, drawing inspiration from the power of the sun and the cosmic world.

by Katerina Perez

Haute Couture 2025: Boucheron Explores Shades of Grey with the Impermanence High Jewellery Collection 

With its Carte Blanche High Jewellery collections, Boucheron's Creative Director Claire Choisne has the power to explore whatever fantastical avenue she pleases, which in 2025 centres on flowers and the natural world.

by Sarah Jordan

Latest Stories

Add articles and images to your favourites. Just

Elevated Expression:Examining The Jade Dynasty Collection by Austy Lee

Let's hear what he has to say on China's most emblematic mineral…

by Sarah Jordan

Jewels Katerina Perez Loves

Continue Reading

In Conversation:Discussing Paraiba - The Legacy of a Color

with Vogue Singapore

by Katerina Perez

Jewellery Insights straight to your inbox

Style Guide

By using this website, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.