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On Our Radar: SeeMe Jewelry

Born and raised in Italy, Caterina Occhio didn’t set out to be a jewelry designer but rather a geopolitician. Following years of working in Brussels with the European Commission, her policy driven life took a turn when she followed her heart and moved to Amsterdam. Her romantic state of mind was a mighty player in the new venture she would embark on—one that blends beautiful designs with a socially integrated platform [SeeMe.org is the only certified fair trade brand in all the Middle East]. Here, the designer speaks with Caterina Minthe on building a brand with a story as moving and big as its heart jewel pendants, and one that hammers every day for women’s right to freedom.

ON THE EARLY BEGINNINGS OF SEEME

Years ago, I was working in Turkey with victims of domestic violence. It’s a fact that 60-70 percent of women go back to the original violent situation and return to the shelter because they don’t have economic independence. Then, I was sent on a mission in Tunisia. It was there, in the medina, that the future of my new jewelry venture—the heart—was born. I had seen a photo on the Internet of someone with a really big heart pendant and I liked it. So when I saw the traditional Tunisian chain made of rings—I took a ring, which is the most traditional artifact from North Africa, and I decided to make it into a heart. “We only do circles, we don’t do hearts,” people told me. It took me three or four attempts to find somebody to make it for me.

Originally, the heart was just for me, but people started to stop me in the streets. I would be biking in Amsterdam wearing the heart and then a woman would meet me later on and say, “Hey, I saw you biking the other day, I saw you wearing this big heart. Where did you get it?” Then one day, I met a woman who became my best friend, like a sister, Antonella Di Pietro, and she happens to be the creative director of Karl Lagerfeld.

ON FINDING HER SIGNATURE

I decided to go into accessories, because they don’t require big machines and big investments, and they sell better. If you go into fashion, you have the tailoring problem, the size definition that changes per country; it’s a nightmare. I showed my work to Antonella Di Pietro and told her the story. She told me that the heart was the strongest signature and to go with that.

I heard myself saying, “If I make the heart, I’m going to replace violence with love.”

ON STARTING FROM SCRATCH

Initially, I didn’t know where to buy the necklaces, I didn’t know anything; but I did know that I needed someone to set up a production unit for me and create a socially integrated management model. I wanted to give employment to the girl coming from the shelter.

ON PARTNERING WITH THE AMAL ASSOCIATION IN TUNIS

The worst thing that could happen to a woman in Tunisia is to have a baby and not be married. These women are considered prostitutes and it doesn’t matter if they were raped or not, they are considered to have zero value. The woman is left alone; even her own mother will say, “If you’re going to keep the baby, don’t come home.”

I contacted the shelter and asked, “What is the biggest challenge to help the girls once they get out of the shelter?” and he answered, “To get them a job and help them integrate into society.”

The goldsmiths I found were initially working for big brands that produced in Tunisia, but after the revolution, everybody left and they were unemployed. I asked if they would start an adventure with me, create an atelier where they would only hire women from the Amal Association. They accepted.

ON SEEME TAKING FLIGHT

I started going to networking events and parties. I met Andrea Panconesi [chief executive of Luisa Via Roma] and told him the story of the brand and he loved it and he bought the pieces. My first client was Luisa Via Roma—the top of the top! I believe it’s because I was selling the heart, but also selling a new way to look at fashion. People need to understand that there are human beings behind everything that they wear. Fashion is one of the most labor-intensive industries and there is a human being behind everything; machines can only go so far.

ON DESIGN BEING KING

There’s a niche market where more and more customers in the luxury industry are asking for an object that is unique. But if I were to offer anyone starting a journey in fashion advice, it would be that the product must be good, otherwise you’ll go nowhere. Andrea Panconesi and Antonella Di Pietro both first stopped me because of a beautiful object. But you can combine something beautiful with good.

ON HAVING AN IDEA AND SHARING IT

One day I was talking to a girlfriend and she said, “Oh, you only make hearts? Can’t you do anything else?” I said, “I stick with hearts.” She suggested that I bend the heart and I did and made a cuff. You never know where an idea can come from. One of the things I tell people is that if you have a business idea or a design idea, instead of hiding it, talk to people—as many people as possible to help develop it.

Editor’s note: Hammering is one of the most ancient goldsmith techniques in North Africa. Rings of all sizes are made and looped together to form jewelry.

Conceived by Liam Maher & Jennifer Williams Maher from Energy Plan Creative
Photos: Melody Lieftink
Featuring: Zosha Zofia
Make-up: Niki Vos

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