Twice already, we presented By / Jewellery, our favorite Polish jewelers met at Inhorgenta and Amberif fairs this year. It is definitely the time to go back to its founders and their creations.
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It was in March, at the northern tip of Warsaw. I remember that little deserted station surrounded by a pine forest, this small street with only a few houses and the spiral staircase leading to the workshop above the garage. Their workbenches are one next to the other in front of a large window. Daylight was pale, weather still icy and snow paid us a visit. Change of scenery in the Polish capital, but it was in this context that the charm of the brand started operating.
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In the middle of preparing for their departure for Amberif in Gdansk, Bogumil and Julia Bytomski warmly welcomed me. This is the father and his youngest daughter, both designers and manufacturers of all their jewellery. They told me their story.
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Bogumil’s story begun 40 years ago. He studied in a school of Arts and Crafts in Warsaw for training in ironwork art. for training in art metalwork. Unmotivated by this profession and to support himself, he followed his friend into a workshop for silver and amber jewellery. Without any technical skills, he learned on the job and his passion was born. He opened his first workshop in 1973. Far from the conventions of classical jewellery, he was guided by his own inspirations, working on shapes and volumes in a desire to convey emotions through jewels more sculptural than traditional.
Bogumil never thought to be the origin of a family business. Each person in the family has followed its own path. Nevertheless, he detected in her daughters the artistic soul which itself was endowed. One day, he brought a jewellery making book step by step. Its daughters tried to make earrings. Juliaâs professional future seemed to be written ; create from scratch or use a torch were skills that were already flowing in her veins ! She joined the Jewellery Department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Lodz. Zuzanna continued to study art. In 2013, his daughters joined him and together they created By / Jewellery.
It is tempting to summarize their brand to a family story, especially as the oldest daughter Zuzanna manages the company and Juliaâ spouse ensures promotional photos. Yet what is obvious at this meeting is not the family relationship, but these two artistic personalities forged differently which complement each other. I was surprised to learn, for example, each creates independently and works on his own ideas. Only then, far from their tools, in one of the rooms of their home, all the family decide together the future of their creations and consult together on projects and strategies of the company.
The self-confidence of the father built in the profession, Juliaâs new vision of jewellery and Zuzannaâs pragmatism led them to create coherent collections. Their love for nature, independence of their creative spirit and energy give to their jewellery purity and meaning. It is a straightforward matter to find themselves in their creations and cherish them. These jewellery designs, in silver and gold, magnified by beautiful stone, represent the Waves, Shells and Coral of our summer vacation at sea. For my part, just back from vacation near Warsaw, I am particularly touched by the Forest and Forest Light in Bloom collections. By / Jewellery managed to transcribe in these precious accessories my most beautiful childhood memories, which I’m still trying to feed me every year. The forest, heavy of the powerful scent of pine under the heavy heat of summer, the undergrowth sometimes brown, sometimes green, lit by spot, the ground covered with thorns and branches crackling under our feet, flowers, blueberries and mushrooms picked by three generations of women in my family!
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