GREEN SHOOTS: Spring has arrived in London, and with it a bouquet of hydrangeas, black peppercorns and tiny sea kale seeds made from gold and ebony, courtesy of Sophie Bouilhet-Dumas, the founder and designer of Mira Stella.
Bouilhet-Dumas is showcasing jewelry inspired by the plants in her Normandy garden (and kitchen) during a weeklong trunk show at Connolly on Clifford Street, just off Savile Row.
A member of the Christofle silversmith family and the wife of Hermès artistic director Pierre-Alexis Dumas, Bouilhet-Dumas is a longtime friend of Isabel Ettedgui, who owns and runs Connolly, which stocks high-end leather goods and seasonal clothing collections for men and women.
Hydrangea petal jewelry from Mira Stella.
Her jewels are delicate, and in some cases, delicious. Bouilhet-Dumas has scattered her gilded hydrangea leaves across chain necklaces, bracelets and drop earrings, and adorned rings with tiny clusters of ebony peppercorns and gold sea kale seeds.
Her wider collection features jewelry inspired by oak bark, flax pods and the seeds of garden orach, a plant considered the “spinach of antiquity.” She uses diamonds, semiprecious stones and precious woods to complement the 18-karat gold designs.
Each piece is made in Paris using the lost-wax casting technique, and the gold used in production is either certified, recycled, or “grandfathered” to ensure responsible sourcing. Prices range from 350 euros for a single earring to 7,200 euros for long necklaces strewn with multiple motifs.
Bouilhet-Dumas is a big believer in the power of plants. She loves working with hydrangea leaves because they symbolize resilience, longevity and are known the world over.
Sea kale seed charms from Mira Stella.
“They began in northeastern America and have done a world tour — today they’re in China, the Himalayas, and Korea, while in Japan they grow as big as trees,” she said from the top floor of Connolly, where friends and customers have been gathering to have a look at her latest creations.
She likes peppercorns and sea kale seeds for different reasons. “Peppercorns were once as precious as gold, and sea kale seeds can travel great distances on water, from Norway to Spain,” she said. The sea kale is a protected species of plant and grows profusely on the cliffs of Normandy and England.
Bouilhet-Dumas uses the plants as inspiration for more than jewelry, and loves eating the fruits of her Normandy garden. In an interview, she was quick to point out that black peppercorns pair well with Indian mustard seed.
When the two come together in a hot pan they pack a nutritious punch, and also pair well with olive oil and warm new potatoes. As for the curly sea kale, that’s best eaten when the leaves are young and short. Bouilhet-Dumas mixes them in with new potatoes and olive oil, creating another feast for the senses.
Sophie Bouilhet-Dumas wearing a hydrangea petal ring.
