24 Hours With… Pascale Monvoisin

During her time as an air hostess, Pascale Monovoisin fell in love with exploring the world and discovering the beautiful, natural raw materials our earth has to offer. Once her feet were planted firmly on the ground again in her home country, she brought her inspirations to life. “My managing director and business partner, Aurélie and I both started out together in my living room some fifteen years ago. She knows me better than anyone and we complement each other.” Clearly, as this power duo took their shared vision from the living room to the world, realising one of the most charming French fine jewellery House’s now loved across the globe for their handmade, gem-encrusted talismans. With the new season launching at Browns, we caught up with the designer to get an inside peek at her chic world in France…

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"The view of Paris from my apartment in the 9th arrondissement."

"Dog walks with Marcel through the Normandy countryside."

"My morning routine: daily walks."

"Time to go with my favourite watch - the Baignoire from Cartier."

MORNING

What time do you wake up and what's the first thing you do when you get up?
I wake up quite early, without an alarm, around 6:30AM. The first thing I do is try to capture my dreams. I stay half-asleep to grasp hold of a detail, memory or the gist of the story in order to help me decipher and remember them. This ritual helps me clear my thoughts.

Next I take some deep breaths and do some stretches while still in my bed, then I turn on the radio, give my partner a kiss and give my dog one too, then I get a coffee to wake me up.

Do you have any morning rituals?
I love mornings. I love getting up early, even really early when everything is still very quiet. It helps me have a clear head. When I’m at my country home in Normandy, I always drink my coffee at my desk; it’s the perfect time to think, work, draw and watch nature waking up through the window.

Where do you live and how long have you lived there?
I spend part of my week in Paris and part in Normandy. I’ve lived in Paris since I was about 20 and since Covid we’ve tried to leave for the countryside at noon on Thursdays. We’ve set ourselves up to work there and it works really well. I have more time for myself and there are fewer interruptions while I’m working, which allows me to focus and make progress with the collections.

Favourite thing about your neighbourhood/where you live?
In Paris, I live in the 9th arrondissement. My office is about a 30-minute walk from my apartment. Weather permitting, I make the journey on foot in the morning and evening. Strolling through Paris on a sunny day is a special moment for me that transcends time. I like stopping and getting a coffee on a terrace, when my schedule allows, and watching people walk past.

What does your average day look like?
When I’m in Paris, I spend most of my days in the office. They are punctuated by the different ongoing projects, meetings and informal discussions with the teams. I go from communications, to sales or even to production. As I’m only in Paris for 3½ days a week, I often have business lunches. I always set aside a bit of time to visit one of my three Paris boutiques, where I’m always delighted to meet my customers.

Most of the time, my day revolves around working on the future collections. Changes that need to be made to the prototypes we’ve received, volumes that need to be reworked, choosing the stones, and visiting workshops. I also chat to Aurélie a lot throughout each day.

Describe yourself in three words?
I’m a hypersensitive, uncompromising and reserved person.

How would your friends describe you in three words?
I think they would say that I’m determined, reliable and (I hope!) quite funny.

"My beloved sketchbooks."

"BTS of our shoot day for the men's campaign."

"The mood board for the store. I love the mix of materials."

"Me, lost in my thoughts."

"A beautiful drawing kindly gifted by a customer."

"One of my collages."

DAYTIME

What is your idea of a perfect day?
Laughing uncontrollably, spending time with my friends, being surprised by my partner and being with my dog. But also talking to, and learning from, people who I admire.

When you’re not working, what do you do for fun?
For a while now I’ve been making collages with bits of jewellery, scraps of paper, rope and things that I’ve found and that have meaning for me.

What did you do on your last day off?
Last Friday, I took the day off to support my husband. He wrote and produced a musical, “Les Souliers Rouges”, which played for three nights at Paris’ Salle Pleyel. So we spent all day with this fantastic troupe of dancers and singers, attended the final rehearsals and watched as the theatre filled up. Then we watched the performance; seeing them on stage was a real delight.

What do you need more time for?
I’d say doing nothing - spending less time on social media, reading more, or just not doing anything at all. Just accept that nothing is going on, stop wanting to be productive at all costs.

What was your route into design and how did you begin Pascale Monvoisin?
By accident, I’m self-taught. I’ve always loved making things with my hands ever since I was a child. Before making jewellery, I sculpted and painted. I was travelling in Jaipur when I visited one of the biggest gem markets, bought some turquoises there and I had a ring made for me.

Once back in Paris, a friend asked for the same ring, then another and another. It was the start of a new venture for me. After making these bits for my friends, I was spotted by Agnès b. who asked me to design jewellery for her brand.

One thing you can’t live without?
It’s not very original, I imagine, but I think it would be my phone.

What makes you laugh? What makes you cry? What gives you goosebumps?
I love situational comedy, the right word at the right time! I’m a big fan. I often go and see comedians on stage and films with my childhood friends who have the same sense of humour as me.

So many things can make me cry nowadays; the world is becoming increasingly crazier and more cruel. Animal abuse is something that really affects and upsets me.

Art in general, in all its forms, gives me goosebumps.

"Books saved my life."

"Tapas y sangria in Menorca. Savouring every moment."

"My precious jewels."

EVENING

What’s on your bookshelf?
A collection of books – I must admit, I’m quite compulsive with books, I buy them as soon as they’re released and I sometimes only read them several months or even years later. An alarm clock because I don’t like the idea of keeping my phone next to me at night. And the jewellery I’ve been wearing that day, which I take off and put next to me before going to sleep.

What are you listening to at the moment?
Fawn, a young artist who has just released his first songs; I love his music. I listen to a lot of podcasts too - like the Le Monde newspaper’s podcast, “Le Goût de M”, which has portraits of artists, and feminist Lauren Bastide’s podcast, “La Poudre”.

What do you usually do for dinner?
Seasonal produce - I love cooking vegetables, with or without a recipe. I open up the fridge and experiment with whatever is inside.

What’s your favourite restaurant? And what do you eat/drink there?
The last place I went to was a very good Chinese and Thai restaurant, Chez Ly. I had a peppered sole with broccoli and a scoop of green tea ice cream for dessert. It was heavenly, I recommend it!

Do you have any evening rituals?
I take off my make-up and cleanse thoroughly as soon as I get home. My skin is really sensitive and needs to be nourished and protected from pollution. I’m using Odacité’s products a lot right now. I love their texture, essential oils in particular, and they smell amazing.

What time do you go to bed and what's the last thing you do before you sleep?
I always try to go to bed before midnight and read a bit. It’s the best way to calmly switch off from my day and ease myself to sleep.

What do you dream about?
A thousand projects that are constantly spinning around my head!

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