Marie
Lichtenberg
An inspiring and candid dive into the world of the Paris-based designer
Editor’s Note: Worn by celebrities such
as Gwyneth Paltrow and Gigi Hadid, Marie Lichtenberg's jewelry is coveted by collectors and lovers of unique, handmade pieces around the world. In this interview with 1993, we talk about Marie’s upbringing, flea market objects, micro- dosing, and how trying is the sexiest and most important thing someone can
do in their lifetime.
I really enjoyed this conversation with Marie and hope you do too.
- Parag
1
9
9
3
I read somewhere that your mother helped bring your creativity out.
In what ways did she bring that out of you?
M
A
R
I
E
My mother is still alive today and she is still so open-minded - a gift that she gave to me and a gift that I’m trying to pass onto my own kids.
She noticed something about people in that you can’t put everyone in the same box. People have different educational levels, sensibilities, experiences and this was a perspective she instilled in us at
a young age. Of course she wanted to raise me, but she also wanted to guide me. You see what I mean? Everyone has to raise their kids, of course, but she also realized that little kids have a personality and things that make them spark and you have to pay attention to that.
She saw that I was bad in math and science, but noticed I was quite good in drawing, painting, color theory, and imagination - and she pushed me to cultivate it and guided me in that way. And she did the same with my sister.
But make no mistake, she had a great sense of excellence. She knew that if you liked something and wanted to explore it further, then it's your duty to be excellent
at it, not just good.
1
9
9
3
A very Parisian outlook.
M
A
R
I
E
Yeah why not? If you want to be a croissant maker, why not be the best croissant maker in Paris.
1
9
9
3
I read on your website that you designed your first piece in India - can you describe that trip and that process?
M
A
R
I
E
As far as I can remember, I was scared to death. For me it was about reaching a goal - the goal wasn’t to go
to India, the goal was to launch a jewelry brand. I had dreamed about this trip for
so many years and sometimes you have dreams that stay dreams. You want it to stay a dream because it feels too big or too scary but I wasn’t going to let this one be
a dream.
So yes I was very scared. But the people
I met there were super open and happy to see someone doing something so genuine and not for a commercial contract.
I was coming to see a dream and they were touched by that.
At that time it was just about making a few pieces, not creating a business, but I think in the way that I explained it to them and how much it meant to me, they were touched and they really helped me out. And they felt excited about it from a very early stage because they knew how different what I wanted was. And those pieces - technically speaking - were a fucking nightmare to do.
1
9
9
3
Do you have a favorite technique in jewelry making or designing?
M
A
R
I
E
Ah that’s a tough question. I feel like I’m learning a thousand new things on a daily basis. But I love the idea of mixing and matching. What I love is putting 35 different techniques in one piece - that’s my thing. And at the end it shows. And from an outsider’s perspective they might look at the piece and say I don’t know what about this is different but it feels different and that’s all the different techniques speaking to them at that moment. The beauty is the complexity.
1
9
9
3
Can you tell us about your creative process and how it has evolved since you started designing jewelry?
M
A
R
I
E
I think because I was a fashion editor in a former life I always had a keen sense of visual discovery. I read like 3 books a year - reading is something I don’t do often. But I do eat pictures and go to museums. I’m constantly eating pictures, even at night.
It’s very difficult to describe my research process because it’s so intimate. It could be a song, it could be art, it could be a toy that my son is playing with. It can come from anywhere and everywhere at any time.
And you have to go bookstores, go to museums, you have to watch movies, you have to listen to music, you must live your life in the real world. You cannot do this on Instagram. Instagram is very tricky because it makes you feel like shit. It makes you feel like everything and every move has been done already.
1
9
9
3
That’s so true. Every time I go there, it feels like every brand is doing a different version of the same thing. And you never get off Instagram and are like, “I feel great.”
M
A
R
I
E
Yes exactly! I will also say, I was blessed because my mother would take me to flea markets at the age of 2 and throughout my upbringing. The inspiration at flea markets is endless, there are so many objects that you look at, and are like, “who the fuck’s brain did that design come from?! I want to meet them.” Let me show you some of the objects I’ve collected over the years.
M
A
R
I
E
This lamp I found in Italy - it was in a disco room in the 80’s. These mushrooms are from a castle from the 18th century.
M
A
R
I
E
I look at these objects as education.
1
9
9
3
And I imagine, they must also serve the purpose of keeping curiosity alive. It keeps an idea of what an object can be - in regards to form vs. function - alive. Why does a bottle opener have to look like a bottle opener? Why can’t it look like a fish?
M
A
R
I
E
Yes this is it precisely. And the thrill of this all is someone is behind the creation of the object. This was a thought in someone’s head, and then they figured out how to bring it to life. Like who the fuck is this guy who said you know what, let’s do this, let’s make a soccer ball that pulls out into a cigarette holder. For me that’s what I look for when I do jewelry.
1
9
9
3
Is that how you balance the need to stay true to your artistic vision with the demands of running a successful jewelry business?
M
A
R
I
E
You can’t please everyone for sure, and that’s not the point. It’s always nice to have a piece in the collection that can be made for everybody but I never let that get in the way of my artistic vision and I’m beyond lucky to be surrounded by an amazing team.
1
9
9
3
What is the significance of the mushroom motif that I see repeated in so many of your designs? Do you just love the conformity and shape of it?
M
A
R
I
E
When I had my son, I had some health issues. I went to the doctor and they prescribed me a medicine that made me feel horrible. So I went to a Shaman, and she introduced me to micro dosing to help me quit the medicine I was taking. Once
I started doing it, I felt SO much better. And it’s helped me a lot in life in general.
And all of those experiences led me to Ayahuasca. I did a 4 day retreat and trained with a Shaman for over a year to prepare, and on that trip I did Ayahuasca 4 times. And even then nothing can prepare you for this. For me, it gave me clarity in the direction I want to take my life. I try to describe it like this - when you’re feeling like shit, the universe feels like it is conspiring against you and then you get into your own head and even though you know it’s all a fabrication in your mind it feels impossible to fight. But the clarity
I received when I did Ayahuasca was that
it pumped up the volume of the voice that fights back. You see what I mean?
I hear me better.
1
9
9
3
Are you generally a spiritual person?
M
A
R
I
E
I think I’m super open minded and obviously there’s something bigger than us and I don’t have any words to put on that and I think what you are giving and creating - it’s part of what you are giving to the connection that we all share in the world and it sounds cliché but it’s true - there’s a oneness to this entire world.
1
9
9
3
Is there a piece of jewelry that you love designing?
M
A
R
I
E
I love the lockets.
1
9
9
3
Your brand has a strong environmental, fair trade, and sustainability focus. How do you incorporate these values into your design process and materials sourcing?
M
A
R
I
E
I’ve been working with the same manufacturers and workshops since day 1. I’ve been recycling gold since day 1 and have had clear transparency on where our diamonds and stones were being sourced from. We are working with very expensive ateliers and have tracking on all of our stones, and this is how it should be.
1
9
9
3
Are you formally trained in jewelry making?
M
A
R
I
E
I actually went to school for cinema and movie production. But when I graduated, I had an opportunity to work for Elle Magazine France and I became one of their youngest fashion editors. But the truth is I have the most incredible team that works with me and makes my job easier. So it’s about them. They believe in me and that makes the entire brand work. I love it and I’m learning everyday but you have to be surrounded by people who also know this business. I make things that come to my imagination without knowing the boundaries. So I feel like going to school would have narrowed my vision in a way.
Me and my team, we’re kind of outcasts and I love that about us.
1
9
9
3
That reminds me of the Orson Welles quote - where he said the greatest strength I had is my lack of ignorance because I didn’t know the impossible was possible.
M
A
R
I
E
Yes, I love this! This is my point! The biggest gift I had, was not knowing what I was doing and doing it anyways. And that only makes sense when you look back. But in a sense, that’s true freedom. For people who don’t dare or think it’s impossible or it’s too tricky - stop thinking and just do it. Learn through experience. There’s room for everyone. To me Marie Lichtenberg is not a brand, it’s just me learning.
Learning about the world, people, and trying hard. Then applying that.
About:
Marie Lichtenberg is a Paris-based jewelry designer known for her handcrafted, unique pieces that combine vintage and modern elements. She grew up in a family of antique dealers and developed an appreciation for art and design from a young age. After studying fashion design in Paris, Marie began to experiment with jewelry-making and quickly discovered a passion for the craft.
In 2005, she founded her eponymous jewelry brand, Marie Lichtenberg Jewelry, with the aim of creating wearable pieces of art that evoke a sense of nostalgia and romance. Each piece is handcrafted in her Paris studio using a combination of antique and contemporary materials, such as gold, silver, pearls, diamonds, and semi-precious stones.
Marie's designs are often inspired by vintage jewelry from the Art Deco and Victorian eras, as well as the natural world, and she is known for her use of intricate detailing and delicate textures. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar, and has been worn by celebrities such as Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz.
Marie Lichtenberg's jewelry is coveted by collectors and lovers of unique, handmade pieces around the world. She continues to innovate and experiment with new materials and techniques, while staying true to her signature style of timeless elegance and vintage charm.
Marie
Lichtenberg
An inspiring and candid dive into the world of the Paris-based designer
Editor’s Note: Worn by celebrities such
as Gwyneth Paltrow and Gigi Hadid, Marie Lichtenberg's jewelry is coveted by collectors and lovers of unique, handmade pieces around the world. In this interview with 1993, we talk about Marie’s upbringing, flea market objects, micro- dosing, and how trying is the sexiest and most important thing someone can
do in their lifetime.
I really enjoyed this conversation with Marie and hope you do too.
- Parag
1
9
9
3
I read somewhere that your mother helped bring your creativity out.
In what ways did she bring that out of you?
M
A
R
I
E
My mother is still alive today and she is still so open-minded - a gift that she gave to me and a gift that I’m trying to pass onto my own kids.
She noticed something about people in that you can’t put everyone in the same box. People have different educational levels, sensibilities, experiences and this was a perspective she instilled in us at
a young age. Of course she wanted to raise me, but she also wanted to guide me. You see what I mean? Everyone has to raise their kids, of course, but she also realized that little kids have a personality and things that make them spark and you have to pay attention to that.
She saw that I was bad in math and science, but noticed I was quite good in drawing, painting, color theory, and imagination - and she pushed me to cultivate it and guided me in that way. And she did the same with my sister.
But make no mistake, she had a great sense of excellence. She knew that if you liked something and wanted to explore it further, then it's your duty to be excellent
at it, not just good.
1
9
9
3
A very Parisian outlook.
M
A
R
I
E
Yeah why not? If you want to be a croissant maker, why not be the best croissant maker in Paris.
1
9
9
3
I read on your website that you designed your first piece in India - can you describe that trip and that process?
M
A
R
I
E
As far as I can remember, I was scared to death. For me it was about reaching a goal - the goal wasn’t to go
to India, the goal was to launch a jewelry brand. I had dreamed about this trip for
so many years and sometimes you have dreams that stay dreams. You want it to stay a dream because it feels too big or too scary but I wasn’t going to let this one be
a dream.
So yes I was very scared. But the people
I met there were super open and happy to see someone doing something so genuine and not for a commercial contract.
I was coming to see a dream and they were touched by that.
At that time it was just about making a few pieces, not creating a business, but I think in the way that I explained it to them and how much it meant to me, they were touched and they really helped me out. And they felt excited about it from a very early stage because they knew how different what I wanted was. And those pieces - technically speaking - were a fucking nightmare to do.
1
9
9
3
Do you have a favorite technique in jewelry making or designing?
M
A
R
I
E
Ah that’s a tough question. I feel like I’m learning a thousand new things on a daily basis. But I love the idea of mixing and matching. What I love is putting 35 different techniques in one piece - that’s my thing. And at the end it shows. And from an outsider’s perspective they might look at the piece and say I don’t know what about this is different but it feels different and that’s all the different techniques speaking to them at that moment. The beauty is the complexity.
1
9
9
3
Can you tell us about your creative process and how it has evolved since you started designing jewelry?
M
A
R
I
E
I think because I was a fashion editor in a former life I always had a keen sense of visual discovery. I read like 3 books a year - reading is something I don’t do often. But I do eat pictures and go to museums. I’m constantly eating pictures, even at night.
It’s very difficult to describe my research process because it’s so intimate. It could be a song, it could be art, it could be a toy that my son is playing with. It can come from anywhere and everywhere at any time.
And you have to go bookstores, go to museums, you have to watch movies, you have to listen to music, you must live your life in the real world. You cannot do this on Instagram. Instagram is very tricky because it makes you feel like shit. It makes you feel like everything and every move has been done already.
1
9
9
3
That’s so true. Every time I go there, it feels like every brand is doing a different version of the same thing. And you never get off Instagram and are like, “I feel great.”
M
A
R
I
E
Yes exactly! I will also say, I was blessed because my mother would take me to flea markets at the age of 2 and throughout my upbringing. The inspiration at flea markets is endless, there are so many objects that you look at, and are like, “who the fuck’s brain did that design come from?! I want to meet them.” Let me show you some of the objects I’ve collected over the years.
M
A
R
I
E
This lamp I found in Italy - it was in a disco room in the 80’s. These mushrooms are from a castle from the 18th century.
M
A
R
I
E
I look at these objects as education.
1
9
9
3
And I imagine, they must also serve the purpose of keeping curiosity alive. It keeps an idea of what an object can be - in regards to form vs. function - alive. Why does a bottle opener have to look like a bottle opener? Why can’t it look like a fish?
M
A
R
I
E
Yes this is it precisely. And the thrill of this all is someone is behind the creation of the object. This was a thought in someone’s head, and then they figured out how to bring it to life. Like who the fuck is this guy who said you know what, let’s do this, let’s make a soccer ball that pulls out into a cigarette holder. For me that’s what I look for when I do jewelry.
1
9
9
3
Is that how you balance the need to stay true to your artistic vision with the demands of running a successful jewelry business?
M
A
R
I
E
You can’t please everyone for sure, and that’s not the point. It’s always nice to have a piece in the collection that can be made for everybody but I never let that get in the way of my artistic vision and I’m beyond lucky to be surrounded by an amazing team.
1
9
9
3
What is the significance of the mushroom motif that I see repeated in so many of your designs? Do you just love the conformity and shape of it?
M
A
R
I
E
When I had my son, I had some health issues. I went to the doctor and they prescribed me a medicine that made me feel horrible. So I went to a Shaman, and she introduced me to micro dosing to help me quit the medicine I was taking. Once
I started doing it, I felt SO much better. And it’s helped me a lot in life in general.
And all of those experiences led me to Ayahuasca. I did a 4 day retreat and trained with a Shaman for over a year to prepare, and on that trip I did Ayahuasca 4 times. And even then nothing can prepare you for this. For me, it gave me clarity in the direction I want to take my life. I try to describe it like this - when you’re feeling like shit, the universe feels like it is conspiring against you and then you get into your own head and even though you know it’s all a fabrication in your mind it feels impossible to fight. But the clarity
I received when I did Ayahuasca was that
it pumped up the volume of the voice that fights back. You see what I mean?
I hear me better.
1
9
9
3
Are you generally a spiritual person?
M
A
R
I
E
I think I’m super open minded and obviously there’s something bigger than us and I don’t have any words to put on that and I think what you are giving and creating - it’s part of what you are giving to the connection that we all share in the world and it sounds cliché but it’s true - there’s a oneness to this entire world.
1
9
9
3
Is there a piece of jewelry that you love designing?
M
A
R
I
E
I love the lockets.
1
9
9
3
Your brand has a strong environmental, fair trade, and sustainability focus. How do you incorporate these values into your design process and materials sourcing?
M
A
R
I
E
I’ve been working with the same manufacturers and workshops since day 1. I’ve been recycling gold since day 1 and have had clear transparency on where our diamonds and stones were being sourced from. We are working with very expensive ateliers and have tracking on all of our stones, and this is how it should be.
1
9
9
3
Are you formally trained in jewelry making?
M
A
R
I
E
I actually went to school for cinema and movie production. But when I graduated, I had an opportunity to work for Elle Magazine France and I became one of their youngest fashion editors. But the truth is I have the most incredible team that works with me and makes my job easier. So it’s about them. They believe in me and that makes the entire brand work. I love it and I’m learning everyday but you have to be surrounded by people who also know this business. I make things that come to my imagination without knowing the boundaries. So I feel like going to school would have narrowed my vision in a way.
Me and my team, we’re kind of outcasts and I love that about us.
1
9
9
3
That reminds me of the Orson Welles quote - where he said the greatest strength I had is my lack of ignorance because I didn’t know the impossible was possible.
M
A
R
I
E
Yes, I love this! This is my point! The biggest gift I had, was not knowing what I was doing and doing it anyways. And that only makes sense when you look back. But in a sense, that’s true freedom. For people who don’t dare or think it’s impossible or it’s too tricky - stop thinking and just do it. Learn through experience. There’s room for everyone. To me Marie Lichtenberg is not a brand, it’s just me learning.
Learning about the world, people, and trying hard. Then applying that.
About:
Marie Lichtenberg is a Paris-based jewelry designer known for her handcrafted, unique pieces that combine vintage and modern elements. She grew up in a family of antique dealers and developed an appreciation for art and design from a young age. After studying fashion design in Paris, Marie began to experiment with jewelry-making and quickly discovered a passion for the craft.
In 2005, she founded her eponymous jewelry brand, Marie Lichtenberg Jewelry, with the aim of creating wearable pieces of art that evoke a sense of nostalgia and romance. Each piece is handcrafted in her Paris studio using a combination of antique and contemporary materials, such as gold, silver, pearls, diamonds, and semi-precious stones.
Marie's designs are often inspired by vintage jewelry from the Art Deco and Victorian eras, as well as the natural world, and she is known for her use of intricate detailing and delicate textures. Her work has been featured in numerous publications, including Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar, and has been worn by celebrities such as Marion Cotillard and Penelope Cruz.
Marie Lichtenberg's jewelry is coveted by collectors and lovers of unique, handmade pieces around the world. She continues to innovate and experiment with new materials and techniques, while staying true to her signature style of timeless elegance and vintage charm.