My tips
04 July 2020
The favorite haunts of Agnès Webster, Fragonard
Agnès Webster runs the Fragonard perfume house with her two sisters Françoise and Anne. A true jewelry lover, she shares with us her favorite haunts.
Sandrine Merle. Where does your passion for jewelry come from?
Agnes Webster. “I was raised by a mother, who was just as passionate. She built up a collection of Provençal jewelry which is now on display in our Fragonard Museum in Grasse: among other things, you can see a coulas, an emblematic bracelet of the region. She also owned beautiful pieces by Suzanne Belperron or Antonio Codognato, a Venetian jeweler she was close to.
S.M. You have a particular fondness for antique jewelry.
A.W. That’s true, especially the ones with intaglios and cameos. These have inspired our range of ” tout ce que j’aime” candles and soaps, engraved with two profiles. But I also cherish the jewels offered by my husband, specially designed by Joël Arthur Rosenthal, one of his friends.
S.M. You never go out without jewelry?
Agnes Webster. Never, any more than I go out without perfume! That’s where my two passions meet: the elegance of a jewel enhances an outfit, the trail of a discreet fragrance is a sign of allure. I like light, floral scents like orange blossom, for example. Discreet, even imperceptible, you have to get up close to notice it, just like a jewel hidden in your hair or the folds of a sleeve.
S.M. What are your favorite haunts and jewelry designers?
Mill’or, Hortense Favier’s jewelry store. That’s where I unearth Provencal treasures. It’s such an emotional experience to wear gold earrings patinated by time and carefully preserved by several generations of women. These simple jewels create a bond between me and my dear mother…
Inouitoosh. In addition to making beautiful shawls and bags, my friend Lise Guitton designs beautiful jewelry. It’s ultra-feminine and comes in gold, diamonds and fine stones. I’m never without them because they are very easy to wear every day, especially the earrings inspired by fishwives.
Dimitris Pantazopoulos. This Greek creator, a friend, art historian and interior designer, harks back to the ancient world of engraved stones, intaglios and precious objects. He blends these contemporary jewels entirely made in Florentine workshops them with colored fine stones.
Sofia Papakosta
I don’t just wear precious items, I also like a bit of fantasy. The jewels of the Greek designer Sofia Papakosta, sold at Fragonard, are composed of colored gemstones set in a traditional gold thread embroidery. Recently, she has also used tapestries and embroideries from the 20th century.
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