Iris Desiree Claessens is a Dutch jewelry designer based in Maastricht, in the South of the Netherlands. She graduated in 2017 from the Maastricht Academy Fine Arts and Design and founded her jewelry label in 2018.
Iris grew up in a house with a large garden in a village outside of the city. Through her upbringing and an inherent interest, Iris learned to love the wonders of nature. The designer now translates this appreciation for nature into jewelry pieces. The style of the jewelry is a combination of centuries-old goldsmithing techniques with a modern minimalistic design.
By using a poetic and narrating approach she creates delicate work that makes you think about our natural world and the frailty of life. Iris lost her mother when she was 22 years old so the designer's work is mostly about life and the passing of time.
She creates an awareness of human mortality through the use of natural elements. Iris uses jewelry as a kind of emotional statement making her feelings embody the pieces.
To gather campaign imagery for her latest collections Iris went with her partner to Scandinavia.
During this trip, the couple captured their sacred moments together which are real fragments of their life. Warm Scandinavian summer days and dark blue nights formed the perfect atmosphere for these extremely intimate images. Iris thinks that this personal approach is also important in the jewelry itself. The designer's latest two collections are named: 'Mother of Pearl' and 'Solstice'.
MOTHER OF PEARL collection
This collection is about the sea and its shores, the contrast between its tempestuous storms and
peaceful floaty mood. It is the feeling of standing alone on an endless shoreline with the unrelenting noise of waves curling into the sand. Something that cannot be controlled, something that has been there long before you, and will be there long after you are gone. The beautifully slow natural process and grinding objects across the seabed, resulting in perfectly smooth shapes. The jewelry is molded, echoing the shapes formed by the sea. MOTHER OF PEARL is made of 14 and 18K red gold with various shapes of pearls, glass, and black diamonds.
SOLSTICE collection
The collection is about the sun, midsummer nights, light, living in the moment, and joy. The
jewelry pieces celebrate the best days of summer with the colors inspired by the spectrum of light which a sunset paints on the horizon. It’s a lively and colorful range featuring vibrant gemstones that will playfully reflect the sunlight. SOLSTICE pieces are made of 14 and 18K yellow gold.