From designer to jeweller
'My jewellery is contemporary and pared down, with great attention to quality and durability. Lately, I have increasingly drawn inspiration from art deco,' says Greet. 'However, I have no direct link with architecture, as I am a graphic designer by training. When I made a career switch 15 years ago, I picked up an old passion again and enrolled in an evening course in goldsmithing. That was the very beginning of Fleurfatale.'
From small to big
'I started very small on Etsy, the sales platform that was very arty and cool back then. The nice thing about that was that it gave me a chance to start low-key and figure out what my style was. In the beginning, I sold mostly online and mostly abroad. Hence the international name of my brand. Since most of my customers were American at the time, I wanted a catchy, feminine name. That became Fleurfatale, a flower you fall for.' Today, Greet runs a leading webshop and organises a now legendary studio sale five times a year.
Million Quarter Love
'About five years ago, we moved to the sublime Million Quarter. The classic story: our children were growing up and we wanted to return to the lively city. I think this place has an ideal location. Moreover, it is not only a beautiful but also a very nice neighbourhood. Thirty years ago, I also worked here as a designer in an advertising agency, so I have always had a link with it.
It really isn't difficult to lose your heart to this neighbourhood: the history literally drips from the facades, because the 1913 World Fair took place here. You actually get a cross-section of interwar architecture here. You can find one or more houses by every major architect of the time here,' Greet explains enthusiastically.
Fruitful corona walks
'Coincidentally, we had not lived here for long when corona broke out. Like everyone else, we too took many walks in the area during that period. Only then did we begin to realise how wonderful it is here. And the more we walked, the more we discovered. Like crazy, I then started looking up all kinds of information about the history of the Millionaires' Quarter and the interesting features of the houses. It's often like that: when something interests me, I get very inspired. Those walks eventually even resulted in a new jewellery line: Interbelle'.
Sleek and graphic art deco
Greet's eyes light up. I love that typical 1930s architecture. Looking at that gives me an awful lot of energy and inspiration. Now I have to say that I particularly like the architecture, with those clean, graphic lines and shapes. The decoration and jewellery of those days were much more lavish than the houses, so they mean a lot less to me. I am a graphic thinker, and the tight figures and details in Art Deco houses really make my heart beat faster. It is not that I want to make a collection around every architectural period, quite the contrary. My love for art deco is far too great for that. So much so that I started doing walks on the theme in many other cities, such as Ronse, Antwerp and Bruges. It is a source of inspiration that is far from drying up.'
Touch of cubism, touch of Africa, touch of art deco
There is a lot more in the pipeline. 'I recently entered a competition organised by the Museum of Fine Arts of Ghent (MSK). For their anniversary in September 2022, they asked some designers to do something around a work from their collection. I chose the painting The Good House, by Gustave De Smet (Latem School). The artwork shows a kind of house of light morals. The fact that it is so graphic appealed to me enormously. A touch of cubism, some African elements and the sleekness of art deco - it's all in there. Funny detail: as the work is one of the showpieces of the MSK, there is also a 3D version for the blind, a beautiful, white sculpture. Only the breasts have turned a bit darker from rubbing it so much...' (Laughs).
Meet Gusta
'So my new collection, based on the beautiful work of Gustave De Smet, is just out. I called the line Gusta, a tribute to the artist. When I was in the middle of developing the jewellery line, I saw Immodôme's premises pass by. Turned out we live in a side street of the house! The characteristic colours of the interior - pale olive green, old pink, brownish... - matched the painting and my mood board perfectly. I could hardly believe it, but this really was a supermatch. Waw, I immediately thought, I want to do a photo shoot there...'
Gusta photo shoot at back neighbours' house
'When I entered the house for the first time, I stepped right back in time. Everything is so beautifully preserved, as if the clock had stopped. It really is a property for the pure lover of art deco. The photo shoot was bathed in a stylish boudoir atmosphere. Literally everything matched, all the details clicked together like a puzzle. I am quite proud of my new collection, and can't wait to show it to the world. I am already very happy and grateful for this super smooth cooperation with Immodome!
Curious about more? Take a look at Fleurfatale. Copyright photos Fleurfatale and Eva Rossie.
