Maëla and the Beauty That Refuses to Fade

To talk about jewellery without talking about the world would be to miss the point entirely. At least, that’s the position taken by the creative mind behind Maëla — a brand that’s as much about presence as it is about pieces.

This is not an interview about sparkle and trend. It’s a conversation about tension, about delicacy, about what it means to create beauty when everything around you feels unsteady. About how a carved blossom might say more than a manifesto ever could.

The new collection, laissez fleur, doesn’t follow fashion — it resists it. Not through provocation, but through softness. It’s a gesture made in silk tones and stone curves. A refusal to harden, even when the world encourages it.

Oliver Schlenker (left), Reiner Späte (Right). Instagram: @Sugartwins.cologne

We sat down with the designer to talk about luxury in an age of overexposure, the quiet politics of elegance, and why sometimes the most radical act is to create something that lasts.

Maela: Before we speak about jewellery – and thus about beauty – I want to speak about the world we live in. Because celebrating aesthetics without acknowledging the context in which it arises would feel dishonest.

We are living through a time of profound political, ecological and social upheaval. And I believe luxury cannot exist detached from that reality.

True luxury today is not about excess – it is about awareness. Our laissez fleur collection is a quiet, poetic counterpoint – not against the world, but against the feeling of powerlessness it so often leaves behind.

Each piece is a reminder:

That softness and strength can coexist.

That elegance, when born of calm, becomes a political gesture.

And that beauty, in times like these, is not retreat – it is resistance.

Resistance in silk tones. In carved stone.

In every pearl that does not fade.

No classic portrait. No symbol of the familiar.

We deliberately chose not to begin this interview with a traditional designer portrait.

No image of me. No woman in silk. No familiar visual trope.

Instead, we invited THE SUGARTWINS from Cologne for our shoot – two men who walk their own path with dignity, style and natural confidence. They wear Maëla jewellery with pride, with esprit, with a kind of self-assurance that feels liberating rather than conformist.

It is a statement – in times when diversity once again finds itself under attack.

In a world that increasingly leans toward norms and standardisation, we aim to create space. Maëla celebrates those who do not need permission to be themselves.

And this image is our gesture of respect – for all those who walk their path quietly and with strength. Maëla doesn’t celebrate the norm – it celebrates the freedom to transcend it.

Maëla

Why design floral jewellery – in such turbulent times?

Perhaps precisely because of that. We live in an era dominated by brutality, hyper-sexualisation, noise and speed.

Our laissez fleur collection is a conscious choice for the opposite – for beauty, softness, poetry.

Not as escapism, but as a quiet reminder of what makes us human: wonder, creation, appreciation.

Flowers may not be “luxury” in the conventional sense – but they teach us what luxury truly means.

If you look closely, every bloom becomes a quiet act of defiance against the harshness of the world.

Luxury is under increasing scrutiny. In times like these, does the world really need luxury?

Now more than ever. Luxury is not an escape. It’s a pause. A rediscovery of quality.

When everything gets loud, the subtle things gain meaning.

For us, luxury is not about status. It’s a statement: choosing quality over quantity, individuality over conformity, depth over spectacle.

In a world of disposable fashion and constant consumption, we stand for handcrafted pieces, for materials with character, for jewellery that endures – and doesn’t fade.

Real luxury today is this: to be enough for yourself. And to express that.

But jewellery – in these times? Really?

Jewellery has never been just decorative.

It is a quiet form of expression – and at times, a quiet form of power.

In our collection, the visible becomes political. We speak of coloured gemstones, of carved blossoms, of pearls.

And yes, I think also of the countries where these natural gifts come from – often places of poverty and complexity.

So we speak – softly, but clearly – of the right to enjoy beauty. Even in dark times.

laissez fleur is our poetic resistance against despair. A quiet form of creative power.

What does laissez fleur mean to you?

The name is deliberately not “laissez fleurir.”

Laissez fleur is grammatically imperfect. But intentionally so. It marks a pause – a hesitation between becoming and blooming.

Yes, we work with floral forms – but the pieces are not about botany.

They are about jewellery that doesn’t wilt.

About blossoms carved from stone.

And about the idea that strength doesn’t have to shout in order to be felt.

You once said Maëla is not about fashion – but about emotion. What did you mean by that?

Fashion fades. Emotion doesn’t.

We’re not here to chase trends.

Our clients aren’t looking for uniforms – they’re looking for expression.

And when someone recognises themselves in a Maëla piece, that is the greatest compliment of all.

Jewellery shouldn’t transform – it should reveal.

If you could pass on your collection to a future generation – what would you want it to communicate, beyond beauty?

Dignity. And the awareness that jewellery is more than just adornment.

It can be memory. A gesture of love. Encouragement. Legacy.

And sometimes, it’s simply a quiet proof of self-worth.

Jewellery as an act of self-respect.

What have you let go of in the past year – and what have you consciously embraced in your work?

I let go of the need to explain myself.

Of the fear of being “too much” – too feminine, too colourful, too bold.

And I rediscovered joy: the playfulness, the sensuality, the delight in working with opulence and bold materials.

You can feel that in my work now: no more restraint – but presence.

I believe we need less perfection, more personality.

And jewellery that allows both.

Auréa

Your entire collection bears French names this time – may we ask why?

Of course. It’s no secret: I love France. The language, the culture, the food.

I’m always enchanted by the flora there – every visit is a joy.

France, for me, means happiness, deep friendships, and a treasure chest of beautiful memories.

Who is this collection for?

For anyone who sees themselves clearly and confidently – and enjoys what others might call “too much.”

Our pieces are not shy. They take up space.

They suit women (and men) who know they’ll be seen – and welcome it.

A quiet proof of self-assurance and appreciation.

This is not “background” jewellery. It’s for moments that matter.

One last question: what does luxury mean to you – personally?

I could say designer bags, fast cars, big gemstones, fine dining – and it wouldn’t be a lie. But it’s only half the truth.

Because for me, true luxury also means waking up each day, being surrounded by people I love and who love me, having meaningful conversations, being a mother to a wonderful son, living in freedom, travelling, doing work that truly fulfils me.

Even solitude and silence – aren’t those forms of luxury too?

I think life itself, on this strange, beautiful planet – is an extraordinary luxury.

I’m a grateful person. You see?

There’s a quiet certainty here — not of ego, but of purpose. In Maëla’s world, jewellery is not the main event, nor the afterthought. It is something else entirely: a marker of emotion, of identity, of memory held in metal and stone.

In a time where noise is currency, this is work that whispers. Not out of timidity, but out of clarity. laissez fleur doesn’t try to keep up. It offers a different pace. One where intention matters more than impact. Where the detail outlives the moment.

Luxury, here, is not a display — it’s a decision. A personal one. And in Maëla’s hands, it becomes a kind of resistance too: the right to still believe in beauty, even when everything else suggests otherwise.

Shop Maëla over at www.maela.shop/