FRED Jewelry's Monsieur Fred Ideal Light High Jewellery Collection Does More Than Glitter

Artistic director and vice president Valérie Samuel tells us all the ways the jewels honour the heritage of the brand her grandfather founded.

By Charmaine Ho

Published: December 10, 2024

ELLE Singapore Valérie Samuel of Fred — Photo: Courtesy of Fred

“What would Monsieur Fred do if he were still alive today?” That is the question that Valérie Samuel constantly asks herself in her role as artistic director and vice president of FRED Jewelry. Being the granddaughter of the brand’s late founder, she has the added responsibility of ensuring that the House stays true not only to his vision but his vibrant personality as well—which is why the Parisian Maison has started positioning itself as the Sunshine Jeweller this year.

“As I was working on the rich heritage of the brand, it became evident to me that Monsieur Fred was a sunshine jeweller,” she explains. “He was a very warm and generous person, and very ‘solar’ himself, being a Leo. That is why this is something that we convey—be it through our sun-filled campaigns, our stores, or our jewellery, which is infused with light, colour, and the joy of life; things that were very dear to our founder.”

The Maison’s latest high jewellery collection, Monsieur Fred Ideal Light, exemplifies all those values with creations that pay homage to the late founder’s childhood memories of his native Argentina, its vibrancy and energy.

ELLE Singapore Fred Blazing Audacity Toi and Moi ring in white gold with multistones; — Blazing Audacity Toi and Moi ring in white gold with multistones. Photo: Courtesy of FRED

The Blazing Audacity suite, for example, looks to Tango (which originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the late 19th century) with richly hued spessartite garnets and red spinels depicting the passion and intensity of the dance.

FRED ; Bright Vitality ring in white gold with an emerald and diamonds — Bright Vitality ring in white gold with an emerald and diamonds. Photo: courtesy of FRED

In Bright Vitality, it’s the Botanical Garden and glasshouses located at the heart of Palermo that inspire its lush green tones and pristine lines, while the white-and-blue palette of Endless Horizon harks back to Argentina’s coastal city Mar del Plata with rope-like textures recalling Monsieur Fred’s love for sailing.

Elle Singapore Fred ; Exalting Joy ear cuff in white gold with multistones, — Exalting Joy ear cuff in white gold with multistones. Photo: Courtesy of FRED

Decadent, emotive looks are not all that the collection has to offer. There are also high levels of technique and innovation at play here: For the geometrical Exalting Joy suite, FRED has layered iridescent white opal with blue turquoise for a new distinctive stone that it has named Opalazur.

ELLE Singapore Endless Horizon necklace in white gold with a sapphire, lapis lazuli and diamond — Endless Horizon necklace in white gold with a sapphire, lapis lazuli and diamonds. Photo: Courtesy of FRED

“My grandfather had a creative audacity and a way of doing things differently; he was a pioneer, and that’s something we are really pursuing [today],” Samuel shares. “Fred Samuel’s vision was to offer jewellery that could be worn every day and to accompany any moment in life. It’s versatile jewellery that can accompany you from morning to evening, from casual-chic to glamorous and formal. It’s something that is very much in our DNA—this versatility and easy transformability. You don’t need a screwdriver to unscrew something. It’s just ‘click-clack’ and you’re done.”

Considering how integral Monsieur Fred is to the brand to this day, I ask Samuel what she thinks he’d say to her if he were still alive today. Her unhesitating reply: “Let’s continue together."