30 Essential Vancouver Jewellery Designers: Fiona Louie of Filou Designs

Filou Designs is a jewellery line created by Fiona Louie, who transforms her original sketches into handcrafted solid sterling silver and 24K gold vermeil wearable works of art. Fiona’s pieces are a reflection of her experiences and imagination, highly influenced by her travels and beautiful west coast surroundings.

Why did you get into jewellery design?

I started making jewellery somewhat seriously right out of high school in 1998. During high school I was a creative sewer, but once I started working with beads and mixed media material (catching the hair accessory fashion wave) it stuck. It followed me through university (completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts at UBC), and while I lived in Japan. In October 2005, I decided to take the plunge and dedicate my time to full-time jewellery design. This is when I started to define my style. I chose to work with sterling silver because I was able to create anything I wanted, making my pieces truly unique.

Tell us a bit about your company.

The name Filou Designs comes from a high school nick name, borrowing the first syllables of my first and last name. Later I found out it is an old French word for “playful rascal”. This is okay with me since Filou is about exploring different jewellery techniques and playing around with different ideas and designs. It also reminds me of baby animals and children that can’t help but be adored. Filou Designs features handcrafted solid sterling silver and 24K gold vermeil jewelry inspired by my travels, nature and my imagination.

How would you characterize your style?

Signature styles include cut-out silhouettes which are often composed in shapes, organic medallions that are created from original carvings, and the new 3D collections which are created from various techniques including; cuttlefish bone casting, wax carving, and sculpting. The final pieces are decidedly balanced for simple natural beauty.

Who are your clients?

Stores throughout North America carry Filou Designs. Women of all ages have bought Filou for themselves, as gifts, or for their weddings. There are also a number of men who buy Filou for gifts. It is really cute to see them secretly purchase these pieces because they know their wives/girlfriends are Filou fans. Filou has also caught the eye of stars like Paris Hilton and Olivia Newton-John.

What do you think moms should know about your jewellery?

Filou Designs are made with solid sterling silver so you needn’t worry about being allergic to the metal. These pieces can be worn everyday or dressed up for a fancier occasion by layering pendants with different chain lengths. They are timeless pieces that can be treasured forever.

Where can people buy your jewellery?

Please visit my website www.filoudesigns.com to request a list of stores in your area or you can shop online at www.filoudesigns.bigcartel.com . You can also spot Filou Designs at designer shows like the One of a Kind Show and Sale.

Anything else to add?

Filou Designs has been featured in various publications and media including Fashion Magazine, Georgia Straight, Shaw TV, Loulou, Vancouver Magazine and Where. Filou Designs has participated in shows across Canada as well as Japan, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York.

Filou Designs would like to offer Vancouver Mom readers 10% off online purchases on www.filoudesigns.bigcartel.com . Simply type in the discount code “VANCOUVERMOM” at checkout to receive the discount. (Valid until Mother’s Day, May 9^th, 2010.)