Michou

 

It is nearly impossible to separate Michou from its creator, Michele Sonner. The name Michou itself, a derivation of the French endearment 'mon petit chou', is the childhood nickname of the artist behind Michou's unique designs. The name, like the jewelry Michou creates, is a keepsake of Michele's childhood and part of her history.

It is Michele's love of art, antiques and history that first drew her into jewelry design over twenty years ago, when by chance she discovered a tiny collection of rings during a ski trip in the Swiss Alps. The rings were created in Bali using a very special technique called granulation, an ancient art form of creating patterns by fusing granules of silver or gold onto an object.

 Michele was so inspired that months later the New York City native found herself on the faraway tropical island of Bali to apprentice with the artisans, learning skills that had been handed down over countless generations. And so Michou was born - marrying modern design with an ancient art form learned from experienced Balinese artisans. Michele lives in beautiful Lake Tahoe, California. When she's not focusing on the next Michou collection, she hits the slopes with her husband Richard Topper, a fine-art photographer.

Michou