Handmade porcelain and gold

jewelry from Portugal

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Hi there design junkies!

Today we bring you a very special brand that has caught our attention due to its unique aesthetic and materials blend… Meet SÖMMER - a brand which creates amazing jewelry, all handmade and designed by Sofia Bártolo in Ericeira, Portugal. All of their pieces are crafted manually, combining two fine materials: porcelain & gold.

“All porcelain pieces are sculpted and painted by hand one at a time. The much time dedicated and the 3 separated firings — with the highest temperature reaching 1250°C (2280°F) — bring this statement jewelry to life”

— Sofia Bártolo

Earrings Selena204 - Sömmer Jewelry

Necklace Timanfaya402 - Sömmer Jewelry

Necklace Hera104 - Sömmer Jewelry

Earrings Luzia305 - Sömmer Jewelry

All the love and care put into Sömmer’s creative process is visible in each of the pieces. Of course we could not let the opportunity pass us by, so we had the pleasure to talk with Sofia and ask her a few questions.

Hello Sofia,

Could you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

Sofia: Hello Design Hunger, I am the person behind Sömmer, responsible for the design of the pieces, their production and for the entire process after the first creative impulse.
I have been an art director for over 10 years, worked at some of the best advertising agencies in the world, worked as an illustrator for newspapers such as Diário de Notícias and La Vanguardia, magazines such as LeCool and children's projects for Fnac or the NGO Doctors of the World. I like tea, bossa nova and ballet. My work and love took me to countries like Sweden, Brazil and Spain and, from my experiences, the peculiar influences reflected in the aesthetic individuality of Sömmer were born.

How and when did you start Sömmer?

Sofia: My first contact with porcelain was born from a moment of restlessness and my need to create freely. Porcelain is a resistant material that allows an infinite number of possibilities, admitting a contemporary language, and which I can mold according to my imagination and creative need. Porcelain turned out to be the perfect vehicle and being able to create pieces of jewelry so unique made me fall in love.
Artisanal work proved to be a direction for the soul, mind and heart. It provided me with an environment to express myself spontaneously and ended up taking on a more serious and professional dimension at the end of October last year, when I decided to bring the project that had grown up between 4 walls to life. It was at that time that Sömmer gained face, personality and an online space.

The pieces are all handmade by you in Portugal, right? Could you tell us more about the process? Which part is the most difficult?

Sofia: The brand was born in Madrid and only in June of this year (2020) it became a 100% Portuguese brand.
Each jewel is made using noble materials —such as porcelain and liquid gold— in a completely handmade process that is always unpredictable and unique. The manufacturing process starts with a raw porcelain bar, which will be worked to prevent the appearance of bubbles and, at the same time, gain the necessary flexibility. Then the porcelain is smoothed on a flat surface with a constant thickness to start the cutting process. Subsequently, the pieces are left to dry for days, with no rush. During this time, the porcelain loses water by evaporation to air, at room temperature and, from here, the pieces are ready to be polished, manually.
Although porcelain is a very resistant material, each piece is glazed to reinforce its strength and, at the same time, to allow painting the details in pure gold, by hand.
I would say that the most difficult part is the manual painting using pure gold. It is an extremely delicate and demanding process. You need to have a surgeon's hand.
Time and dedication, as well as 3 distinct ovens —whose highest temperature reaches 1250ºC— are the necessary to bring these pieces to life.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Sofia: On the one hand, I absorb a lot from the stories of authors like José Saramago or Clarice Lispector, the work of artists and illustrators like Kei Meiguro, Ekaterina Koroleva, Hsiao Ron Cheng or Mercedes deBellard and the countless memories of the trips I took and the places where I've lived. However, without a doubt, nature and the female figure are my main pillars of inspiration. I really like photographing harsh and raw places, such as the Timanfaya National Park, in Lanzarote, which served as a reference for the black porcelain collection with the same name. As for the female figure, my greatest references are the women present in my life, which reflect the complexity of the female world in all its expression. To portray the beauty of the feminine universe in a delicate and beautiful way is something that I aim to materialize through the pieces I produce, and that is very rewarding.

What is your favorite piece crafted so far? What about your most remarkable memory from Sömmer’s journey?

Sofia: Until about a few weeks ago I would say that my favorite piece would be the Colette502, the only colored piece I have designed so far. However, at this moment I believe that the piece I like the most is still on the shelf. It is a blue delight waiting to be finished and launched as part of the next collection. I will be able to share it soon.

The past year has been a roller coaster. I feel like those girls from Cirque du Soleil who keep the dishes spinning up on top of trembling sticks and do a lot of gymnastics not to drop them. There have been many moments of happiness over the past year, so many achievements and constant and infinite learning.
In the beginning there was only my heart and the will to do it. And little by little, a community was built full of people who are so dear to me and so many others to whom I don't yet give a face. These people follow my daily-life and let me know they identify themselves with the brand - that means a lot to me and I feel very honoured. Creating an online community was one of the best things that happened. Receiving such beautiful words from people who enjoy wearing the pieces, knowing that Sömmer is present in memorable moments of their lives all around the world and being able to handwrite beautiful gift cards for customer's friends sometimes separated by oceanic distances or even by a pandemic, are realities that I live on a daily basis because of Sömmer, and I am so thankful for it.

Is the worldwide lockdown – Covid situation affecting your business?

Sofia: Going back to the beginning of quarantine, I had 5 different markets for March/April and a clear action plan with several meetings for partnerships and physical stores. After the quarantine was declared mandatory in Spain, I had to re-think the entire strategy from scratch and completely redirect it to the online. All other projects were put on hold.
There had to be an acceptance and challenging adjustment process. The purpose was no longer to take the brand to the street, but rather to show how Sömmer happens inside 4 walls. Unveiling the backstage of the brand proved to be important, showing the work, the manufacturing process and bringing the brand closer to the public became the focus.
On the other hand, the pandemic raised a greater sensitivity from the public to the local markets and smaller brands. This awareness has been a great contributor to drive the brand.
Overall and despite these challenging times, the feedback from the people who follow Sömmer has been overwhelmingly positive and this support has an even better flavor given the circumstances. It makes me want to continue to work harder and better, overcoming this situation in the best possible way.

Any new exciting projects coming soon? New products?

Sofia: Yes! There are some ideas and projects that I cannot yet reveal. However, I am currently working on Sömmer's next collection, which is scheduled to launch some days. The new designs explore a more colorful and vibrant side of the brand, while remaining minimalist, feminine and fresh. The initial idea for this collection originated from flowery drafts and had the help of those who follow the brand on social networks to choose the designs and colors — including electric blue, soft blue and lavender

What is your morning routine?

Sofia: I usually get up very early in the morning, without an alarm clock — I am a morning person. I like to drink my tea unhurriedly while I watch the sea in the horizon, through the window. I like to think about the day ahead, do my 5 Minutes Journal and go to the studio and work. I usually start with orders, then emails, social media and stock production / organization.

And finally, could you tell us what is your favorite city in the world? Why?

Sofia: Paris. I know it sounds cliché. Paris from the dreams of Amelie Poulain, from the dancing hands of Yann Tiersen, from the midnight of Woody Allen. How can a city be more delightful?