Photo by Excel Panlaque
Photo by Excel Panlaque
The 6th edition of Vogue Talks features Suzette Ayson, the visionary jewelry designer and owner of JMA Jewelry, alongside the sought-after fashion photographer and designer for the jewelry eyewear brand, Francis de Lara, John-Paul Pietrus. In a captivating dialogue exploring the realms of craftsmanship and creativity, they delve into the journey of discovering passion, whether it’s an innate discovery or a heritage passed down through generations.
On the 8th of February at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel, Vogue Philippines’ 6th Vogue Talks drew a crowd of art aficionados, design students, and fashion enthusiasts, all eager to learn from two respected visionaries in the realm of jewelry design. Hosted by Joyce Oreña, JMA Jewelry’s Suzette Ayson and Francis de Lara’s John-Paul Pietrus captivated the audience with their passion, creativity, and vision, as they shared anecdotes and insightful reflections from their respective careers.
John-Paul Pietrus initially found success as a fashion and beauty photographer, and soon ventured into jewelry after a transformative trip to Florence, Italy. In Florence, Pietrus took a jewelry course at Metallo Nobile which, according to him, was steeped in Renaissance history. He credits a moment when he was browsing one of the galleries in the Renaissance capital for the start of his jewelry label. “I was looking at these beautiful Renaissance paintings, and at these characters wearing beautiful Renaissance clothing in this grand hallway where the sun could come in… I put my sunglasses on and then it clicked: Renaissance sunglasses. And that’s when it started.”
As an accomplished photographer, Pietrus found himself unexpectedly drawn to jewelry design. “I had no idea that I would have a passion for jewelry,” Pietrus said. “To find that I had a passion for jewelry that equaled my passion for photography—I never would have expected it, so that was amazing.”
Combining his two passions posed a lot of challenges. “I am self-backed, so a lot of my income as a photographer goes into my passion for jewelry,” Pietrus shares that budgeting is an incredible challenge in this industry, but for him, ethics of jewelry resourcing is essential. “It’s very important for me to work with recycled gold and responsibly sourced gemstones.”
Pietrus also explained that his jewelry eyewear label, Francis de Lara is a tribute to his Filipino heritage. “The idea of things being handmade and handcrafted is a huge part of Philippine craft and culture. I’ve always wanted my pieces to be handmade from the start.”
Additionally, Pietrus shared the origins of his brand name. “‘In our cultures, we often take our father’s last name. Francis de Lara’ is a tribute to my mother’s maiden name, and I think it’s a beautiful name.” Pietrus, who is half-Filipino and half-American, said that there’s a creative thread that runs through the Filipino side of his family, adding that his Filipino grandfather was an architect.
Family is also a very important facet of JMA Jewelry. Suzette Ayson, who comes from three generations of jewelers, said that it was important to give homage to the people who contributed to her growth. “My grandmother was an alahera, and my mother was also an alahera— and back then, women in this industry were not taken seriously. So it was important to me for people to see being a jeweler as an actual career.” Now, JMA Jewelry is closely run by Ayson and her daughters, continuing the family tradition.
Ayson said that she cemented her personal identity as owner of JMA Jewelry by being consistent. “Nowadays, it is very hard to look for. Consistency in welcoming people, consistency in pricing, consistency in design— all of those things are very important when you’re selling.”
Ayson also talked about sustaining a business in such a competitive industry. “For the past twenty years, we have had very loyal clients because we are a service-oriented company.” According to Ayson, maintaining quality for their clients is the goal of JMA Jewelry. “We try to profile our clients very well, to know their likes and dislikes. Having a good relationship with them is very important.”
Pietrus agrees: word-of-mouth goes a long way. “My customers are my own PR, in a way. When people see them wearing the glasses, other people will ask where they got them!”
The conversation between the two visionaries in the jewelry world offered a fascinating glimpse into their artistry, inspiring those who came to listen. Ar Valdez, a newly graduated designer from the College of Saint Benilde’s Fashion Design and Merchandising program, said that one of her favorite parts of the talk was Pietrus’s advice. “He said, ‘keep doing what you love,’ and I got to step back and think about my craft and if I really love doing it, despite the stress that I encounter throughout.”
Also present at the event was fashion designer Carl Jan Cruz, who shared, “It’s nice to hear their take on business and creativity from people in the same industry working with different mediums.” Cruz reflects on his work as a fashion designer, saying, “It’s good to know the nuances that they do in contrast, in terms of [the procurement of] raw materials, or how the distribution of jewelry versus clothes are done.”
As the evening concluded, Pietrus shared a tip to jewelry enthusiasts. “If you want to go into jewelry, study everything you can about jewelry, including gemology, design, and history— and eventually you’ll find your way into what you love the most,” Pietrus said.
Ayson gave some advice to aspiring jewelry designers too, saying “There are three things I follow in life: Behave like one. Belong in a group. Be yourself.”
- For The Love Of The Craft: Suzette Ayson On Her Lasting Vision for JMA Jewelry
- Meet John-Paul Pietrus, The Designer Creating Bejeweled Eyewear
- On February 8, Vogue Talks Returns With A Conversation On Craft and Creativity
- Vogue Talks: BAYO’s Anna Lagon and Carlo Chen-Delantar on How Fashion Can Move Forward
