Anne Zelien
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Anne Zellien grew up above the fashion shop started by her grandma during World War II. Her grandma and mum were always very elegantly dressed and had a keen eye for detail.
Each outfit was completed with carefully chosen hats, shoes, handbags and jewellery. This attention to detail instilled in Anne a desire to continue this passion.
At the age of 18, she dreamt of becoming a painter, but ended up enrolling in a jewellery design programme at the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts. After graduating, she worked for many years in the diamond industry, where she gained a great deal of experience. At the age of 39, she decided that the time had come to focus once more on her passion and opened a shop with workshop on Kammenstraat in Antwerp.
Anne has always been fascinated by historical jewellery and over the course of time she became particularly interested in the style known as ‘Sentimental Jewelry’, a style that was quite fashionable in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries. Jewelry of this kind was strongly personalised with engravings, hidden messages, portraits and charms, superbly accentuating the bond between 2 people – the person whose gift it was, and the person who was to wear the jewelry.
Being convinced of the importance of love and friendship in life, Anne concentrates on these very personal messages that she expresses in her work.
Other sources of inspiration are literature, classical music, vintage jewellery and, of course, all those people whom she had the pleasure to meet, and who have marked her journey.
Her favourite working materials are silver, gold, diamonds, semi-precious stones and pearls.
Kammenstraat 47/1 Antwerp 2000 Belgium