La
maison
It began in Belgium in the early 70s, at the Beaux-Arts. The first day devoted to women's rights was being organised around Simone de Beauvoir, and the protection of the environment and the living world was becoming a cause. The heart of the "flat country" sings as much as it beats. It was there that Pascale Chavepeyer and Enzo Amaddeo met and found each other.
Both captivated by the beauty of nature and inspired by its hustle and bustle, their notebooks gradually filled up with the vibrant colours that surrounded them. From daydreams to walks, these drawings collected on each trip and excursion eventually became a joint venture. A need for art to celebrate life in all its forms.
From a love that blossomed around a nature that was as powerful and wild as it was inspiring, it became clear that they wanted to bind their two visions together in an object with timeless appeal: jewellery. They then moved to France, and it was in the "very faithful" Nice that they chose to establish La Maison Les Néréides in 1980.
Located at 12 rue Paradis, the now Amaddeo couple set about inventing and shaping as many little jewellery poems as the fifty nymphs from which La Maison takes its name.
They worked to create what has made them famous across the world: a perpetual wonder of nature as a subject.
Each collection is conceived as an ode to vegetation, creatures and the sea, to the simple joy of contemplating them with the twinkling eyes of a child. It's this dreamlike fantasy that speaks to the senses and speaks to everyone in its pure authenticity, through jewellery designed in our workshop in Paris.
If Les Néréides is now present in nearly 400 multi-brand stores and 70 boutiques in France and abroad, it's because of what it evokes and embodies, what it instils in those who wear its creations. Because the jewel you see is sometimes linked to a memory, sometimes to a feeling, an aroma or a flavour. Nurtured by the techniques of haute joaillerie, their vision of high-end costume jewellery is that of a craftsman as much as a storyteller.
The jewel itself is not a goal, not an end - it's something else, it's something more.
And it's built with the person who wears it because it's a dialogue of the senses and emotions. It's a talisman. A little totem of spring, berries and wild bouquets picked on holidays, coral and iridescent pearls, the nostalgia of a late summer or the playful flutter of a ladybird landing on our finger.
It was with this fundamental vision of jewellery as a medium for expressing feelings that La Maison created a fragrance for it: Patchouli Antique.
Over time, the collection has been joined by four other fragrances, with notes ranging from Nice mimosa to Réunion rose berries, as well as orange blossom, spices and incense.
And if Pascale and Enzo Amaddeo have been bringing their creativity to constantly renewed collections for over 40 years, it's thanks in no small part to their children.
Their son and their three daughters have gradually followed in their footsteps, each holding a position that gives free rein to their unique talents: Pier-Paolo as Artistic Director, Bianca as Visual Identity Director, Valentina as Creative Development Director and Nina as the founder of the English subsidiary, since 1990.
This family legacy, this shared creative fulfilment, continues to nourish the life of La Maison, telling its story through multiple collections each season.
Les Néréides
loves animals
But this ever-curious look at the world around us, and the innovative elegance of what comes out of it, are complemented by one constant: the preservation of the family's values and commitment to what's important to them.
Since 2015, through the "Les Néréides Loves Animals" foundation, one collection per season has been dedicated to the animal cause. Thanks to this exclusive collection, 15% of the sale price of each jewel from it is donated to shelters or organisations working to protect endangered, abandoned or sick animals. Since its creation, this commitment has raised over €500,000 for various organisations around the world, all chosen for their dedication to protecting animal rights.
Each piece of jewellery is born of a design straight from the imagination of its creators. As in fine jewellery, the pieces are "gouached". The jewels are then made and subtly painted by hand using the enamelling technique.
Each floral or animal detail is coloured by brush with great subtlety in the choice of colours. A meticulous task, where each detail is the result of the handiwork of a craftsman. The stones that adorn the jewellery are also cut to measure, so the glass stones in the iconic La Diamantine collection have been faceted especially for this occasion. This craftsmanship makes each piece unique.
