Designer, jeweller and gemmologist Pamela Hastry, Founder of Morphée Joaillerie, a fine jewellery company, is renowned for quality designs that are immortalised in precious gemstones and metals. She offers three different lines, namely Haute-Joaillerie, customised pieces designed with unique gems; Joaillerie, limited edition pieces reflecting the brand’s creative vision; and Prêt-à-Briller, inspired by flowers and insects.
Jewellery, for Pamela Hastry, unified everything she loved: math, chemistry, art, history, and geography. Furniture and product designer, Pamela decided to switch careers and specialise as a jewellery designer. She moved from London to Rome to train at IED (Istituto Europeo di Design), and then devoted her time to learning about the various manufacturing techniques at the Haute École de Joaillerie (HEJ) institute in Paris. Meanwhile, her passion for gemmology and jewellery culture led her across the world.
“Discovering more about the design know-how and manufacturing traditions in different countries and cultures feeds my creativity,” says Pamela.
Morphée Joaillerie, launched in Paris in 2013, owes its name to Morpheus. “He is the God that carries mankind to the world of dreams. My work is to transform dreams into a reality … crafted with gold, gemstones and excellent craftmanship, so that these dreams become an eternal manifestation,” she explains.
She moonlighted as a freelance designer for various companies around Place Vendôme and internationally. Her mind would brim with ideas; and some “concepts seemed too daring and costly to develop for the brands that she worked for.” So, she started making them and showed the brands how they could easily incorporate the ideas into their own collections.
Designing comes easy to her. “When it comes to the collections that I design for the brand, my visualisation of the piece is vivid, including its mechanisms, colours and details, which then I transcribe onto paper for the workshop to manufacture.”
In 2021, she created a Belgian branch and, the following year, opened her first flagship store in Brussels at the Sablon, a square known for high quality chocolate manufacturers; designer shoe brand Louboutin; and jewellery heavy weights Messika and Boucheron.
Today, Pamela splits her time between the workshop in Paris, sourcing gemstones such as diamonds at the Antwerp stock market and her store in Brussels.
At Vicenzaoro show in Italy, Pamela unveiled 75-pieces of jewellery: Prêt-à-Briller collection; Buttercups, White or Pink Cherry Blossoms, Forget-Me-Not, Clovers, Scarabs and Ladybugs.
The Prêt-à-Briller (meaning ready-to-shine) nature-inspired jewels reference the French and Flemish paintings of the 17th and 18th century – where plants, and in particular flowers, as well as the surrounding insects and objects served as symbols in works of art. At a time when women were not widely educated, many other ways of communicating were created, Pamela points out. Back in the day, a bouquet of flowers could imply a romantic rendezvous at a certain time and place, based on the number and type of flowers. “It is the same sort of meaning that I project onto the Prêt-à-Briller collection. People compose their own jewellery bouquet to express their true nature, but also to remember and celebrate important moments in their lives – creating highly personal compositions,” she adds.
The earrings transform into charms that can be pinned on a pendant, necklace, bracelet, brooch, or cufflinks, while the rings are stackable and combine into an ombré of floral bouquets. “The gems in the Prêt-à-Briller line are central to its concept – ‘ready to shine.’ The stones used in this collection are shiny. The colours, the shading and the type of gems all reflect those of the flowers, or insects as you find them in real life. I try and be as close to nature’s realm as possible,” Pamela explains.
“As a gem afficionado, I wanted an everyday collection with gemstones. In the case of Prêt-à-Briller, I maintained the high quality of the gems and design but used 9-karat instead of 18-karat because you absolutely cannot see the difference, but you certainly do notice the difference in price,” she says.
Pamela is in talks with several muti-brand stores that are interested in carrying the collection in Canada, France, and Belgium. “Details will soon be announced on our social media, so stay tuned! In the meantime, the Prêt-à-Briller line is available on Morphée’s website, in the Brussels store, or in Paris by appointment,” she adds.