Caitlin Perrin makes her Premiere Classe debut with bold, statement pieces

We met the Swiss designer on her very first venture into the wholesale circuit.

There’s something raw, yet sweet, about Caitlin Perrin’s curvy pieces of handmade jewelry. The designer traveled a long way from the classrooms of Geneva School of Art and Design, and is showing her made in Italy creations at Premiere Classe for the first time. A multidisciplinary designer, she combines multiple techniques, from 3D printing to electroforming. She also teaches the art of lost wax casting, believing in expanding the Swiss jewelry community and making craftsmanship accessible. A modern designer with modern concerns: fostering meaningful creation fueled by sharing and transmission, while also engaging with the realities of the market.

Tell us about your trajectory.

I studied at the HEAD, in Geneva, with a dream of launching my own jewelry brand. After my degree I worked for three years in my own atelier, where I designed handmade, silver pieces. When the time came to work at a bigger scale, I turned to the Italian region of Arezzo, which is known for its jewelry know-how. We work with the technique of electroforming, which allows for large but lightweight pieces. 


Are these the pieces that you are showing on the trade show?

Yes, it’s the first collection that we show that is entirely produced in Italy. The whole collection is based on my logo, with variations around the C and P shapes. Some are symmetric, some are not, in silver or gold-plated version. This allows buyers to compose their own selection and present the pieces in the way that suits them best.

How is this first encounter with wholesale going?

I only registered the brand three months ago, up until now I only sold my pieces online via Instagram. Coming to Premiere Classe allows me to meet buyers I wouldn’t have had the occasion to meet in other circumstances. It’s also the right place to gain visibility, to think about concrete ways of showing the pieces in store and to see which ones work best. 


What’s at stake for an emerging designer like you, showing your creations at the heart of Paris Fashion Week?

It’s really a time to stand out! There are so many brands launching out there, some with a stronger base than others, we’re at the right place and at the right time to really show our personality and the quality of our products, a thing that buyers don’t compromise on.

So it was an enlightening experiment?

It was, and it opened lots of new considerations! I noticed that most buyers are happily surprised about how light the pieces are, but some, on the contrary, would have hoped the bangles to be a bit heavier. And they would have been willing to pay more for it. This raises very interesting questions about design and the perception we have of a jewelry piece.


Beyond that, it’s nice to be able to speak with other brands and to really feel immersed in the jewelry community. There’s a real transparency amongst us designers, we share advice and experiments, I really appreciate that absence of competition.


Speaking about community, which other Premiere Classe brand would you choose for a collab?

I’ve spotted the handbags of Gava Milano, which are also produced in Italy. I would love to go further than jewelry and to develop a complete accessory line someday, so it would be great to collaborate with brands which already have expertise in this area!

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