Welcome to the blog of Isabelle Fish and Rue Pigalle. At Rue Pigalle, I share my passion for jewelry through women-only bespoke travel experiences. I open the doors to artists' studios, grant you access to the behind the scenes of art and craftsmanship, connect you to world-renown experts to make each trip a fun and enriching experience.
Join me as I share my stories about jewelry as an art, a societal movement, a philosophical proposition.
At Rue Pigalle, I craft haute chic experiences through jewelry. I open the doors of private artists’ studios, grant you access to the rare and privileged, learn from world-renowned experts and immerse you in the fascinating daily life of the artisans. VISIT RUE PIGALLE →
London Craft Week broke down the barriers between art and craftsmanship, no better than in Mayfair where we admired ceramic vessels in handbag boutiques, painted cork bowls in Louboutin store, avant-garde paintings in clothing haunts, silversmithing at Georg Jensen and glass painting at Thomas Goode. Hopping from store to mews to ateliers, we accessed, admired (and at times acquired) an incredible variety of skills, artists and goods, bringing our happiness-o-metre to its highest level.
The London Craft Week (LCW) program took us across the city from Bank to Kensal Green, Southwark to Mayfair. With over 300 ateliers, workshops, artists’ demonstrations, lectures and exhibits, it was impossible to do it all. We chose to concentrate on jewelry-related activities but could not pass on the opportunity to visit the private members club at The Ned for a glass blowing demonstration, Louboutin boutique for spectacular wood painted bowls, Little Alstock for furniture design and marquetry handbags.
The thrill of having a custom-made piece of jewelry is often tempered by the anxiety of not knowing what you are going to get in the end. Few of us have enough imagination, vision and knowledge to really envisage in detail what the final bauble will look like. To give you the courage to take the leap, I’m going to share a few tips with you.
I was blown away by the city on my research trip: it’s gorgeous and so alive. The exceptional food (17 Michelin star restaurants), vibrant street life and ubiquitous art keep you wanting more. The city’s centuries-old history is ever-present and what could have been an architectural hodge-podge is more like a treasure hunt.
I must confess that after having lived in Toronto for 12 years, I had never been to Oakville. And my first trip there to meet Heather Hogarth was during a raging snow storm which made me question my own sanity. But I’m glad I persevered.
Pasha’s got an interesting story. He grew up in Tehran in a family of aesthetes, jewelry and fashion lovers. Listening to him talk about his upbringing, I could visualise the extreme elegance and refinement that has always been a trademark of Iranian society. His father, a furniture maker, privileged a minimal approach and has been a great inspiration to Pasha’s jewelry.
On my recent trip to London I caught up with John Moore, winner of the Goldsmiths’ Company Award for his “Lacewing Verto” necklace. I asked John to select his favourite works from the recent Collect exhibit at the Saatchi gallery. As you will see, there is very little contemporary jewelry — but John is fascinated by all sorts of disciplines.
I was privileged to attend the press preview of the ROM exhibition “Treasures of a Desert Kingdom” with its luxuriant tents, golden treasures and exquisite paintings. It was a perfect timing after my January trip to India and brought a lot of depth and context to what we saw there.
You have it or you don’t. Paul McClure has it.
He’s been rocking pins on his lapel for years and it’s only now that fashion trends are catching up to him, with men flashing theirs on the runway and at swanky red carpet parties.
With the upcoming London trip in partnership with London Craft Week, I sat down with them to discuss everything Rue Pigalle: how jewellery can tell a story, the careful curation of my bespoke trips and why the emotional connection with handmade objects is more important than ever.
Join me for an intimate cocktail reception and private tour of the upcoming ROM exhibit, Treasures of a Desert Kingdom on March 27th.
On the made-by-hand humanity spectrum, jewelry spans both ends — from the maker to the wearer.
I am off to London on March 7th to put the final touch on the upcoming trip in May, “Made by Hand.” I think I mentioned my partnership with London Craft Week in an earlier post, which will give us unparalleled access.
The story goes like this:
You’ve just turned 18 and your parents betroth you to a man you know nothing about. He gives you 4 pieces of jewelry: a silver necklace weighing just under 1 kg, 2 silver ankle bracelets (0.5 kg each), a large nose ring.
We spent the last week in very remote Gujarati villages amongst local craftsmen. A long way from Paris Haute Couture, you’ll tell me. Well, as it turns out, not that far.
Tattoos are a form of body beautification— unlike jewelry, it requires a life long commitment.
