When it comes to design, the pair behind Par Ici have one guiding principle. “If we can buy it somewhere else, we don’t make it,” says Alynne Lavigne, who founded the Toronto jewellery brand with Eve Tobolka after they connected in university over a mutual love of vintage pieces. They got their start by selling their own curated collection, later taking the business one step further by creating baubles that are inspired by the past, future and, most importantly, the present. “Our collections aren’t consistent,” says Tobolka. “Each one is the story we want to tell in that moment because our tastes are evolving all the time. How boring is it to stick to the same thing over and over?”

A scroll through the brand’s social-media feeds—which showcases an eclectic assemblage of colourful vintage-glass charms, supersized drop earrings and chunky choker—confirms this. “If we’re going to create something, it might as well be something that we actually like,” says Tobolka. “Sometimes it’s  successful, and sometimes it’s not, but we’ve been really lucky.” Par Ici is a reflection of not only the designers’ creative exploration together but also the community they’ve built through working with local photographers, stylists and models. At the end of the day, Lavigne and Tobolka want their work to evoke visceral, emotional reactions in wearers; they want to inspire confidence, strength and, above all, a healthy dose of levity.

POWER OF TRANSFORMATION

“When it comes to costume jewellery, some people are attracted to the bigger, more fun pieces, but then they end up purchasing the more-toned-down version. I like the idea of someone looking at a more expressive piece and imagining what they’re going to do with it. It’s the idea of putting on jewellery and suddenly stepping through a gateway into another world.” – Tobolka

DOPAMINE DRESSING

“There’s a purposefulness behind our pieces for the kind of time we’re living in. People want something upbeat and colourful, something that puts them in a good mood. I don’t need anything edgy right now. I don’t need hard lines. I need something easy and fun that stands out when I’m on a Zoom call.” – Lavigne

HELPING HANDS

“It’s to the advantage of bigger businesses that small designers aren’t talking to each other about money. That happens to women in so many sectors of business. They’re ashamed to talk about salary, and that doesn’t benefit anyone but the person paying them. We’re very open to people approaching us and wanting to have frank conversations about that process. If someone is really creative and wants to step into [this industry] and we can help in any way, that’s great.” – Tobolka

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