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The atelier

Amélie’s atelier

Amélie chooses the materials, designs the jewellery sets, assembles each necklace medallion by medallion and follows every piece through to its packaging, in the Maison’s Paris atelier.

Contents

HK Handmade is a Parisian maison of pieces made by hand. Behind the Maison is Amélie. This page shows how she works, who she works with, and what she checks before a piece goes online.

Portrait of Amélie, the designer behind HK Handmade in Paris
Amélie, designer at HK Handmade. The images on this page were created from photographs of Amélie and of the pieces, and retouched by the Maison.

Amélie, designer

Amélie began with jewellery sets: pearlescent beads, gold-tone medallions and semi-precious stones, assembled by hand on a Paris worktable. The Maison was born with them. Evening bags, embroidered waistcoats and boleros, candles and resin pieces came later, and by the same route: a piece she would have liked to wear or to give, and could not find.

What she loves are the big occasions: weddings, henna nights, engagements, Yennayer, the festive season. Moments when you bring out a piece that matters, and keep it. Gold-tone beaded occasion sets, Kabyle-inspired waistcoats in trimmed velvet and gold-thread embroidered boleros are the heart of her work; the guide North African ceremony outfits explains how she pairs them.

Amélie, designer at HK Handmade, wearing the gold-thread embroidered bolero in black velvet over an ivory dress at a wedding in Paris
The gold-thread embroidered bolero in black velvet, worn over an ivory dress.
Close-up of the worktable in the HK Handmade atelier: gold-thread embroidery in progress on burgundy velvet, a sketchbook open on a jewellery set design, cultured pearls and crystals in small dishes, a tape measure and pliers
On the table: gold-thread embroidery in progress on burgundy velvet, a sketch for a jewellery set, the day’s beads and crystals.

How a piece is made

Jewellery sets. Amélie chooses the beads, medallions and stones, then assembles every element by hand: jump rings closed one by one, stainless steel fittings that do not tarnish, and a clasp tested so that you can open it on your own. A full set takes several hours; it is then worn, weighed and adjusted before it is photographed.

Embroidered velvet. The Kabyle-inspired waistcoats and gold-thread embroidered boleros are cut from dense velvet, then embroidered or trimmed by hand, lined and finished. Nothing is printed or heat-bonded. The placement of the embroidery varies slightly from one piece to the next: it is the sign of handwork, not a flaw.

Bags, candles, resin. For these collections, Amélie works directly with craftspeople she knows, with no middleman: crochet, brocade, wax, resin and stones. She designs or selects, they make, and she checks and finishes. Each product page says whether the piece was made in the atelier or by a partner craftsperson.

The HK Handmade atelier in Paris: a large oak table with an embroidery hoop of gold thread on burgundy velvet, dishes of beads, pliers, rolls of velvet and jewellery sets on busts, with the Paris rooftops beyond
The atelier in Paris: the worktable, rolls of velvet, pieces waiting on their busts.

What she checks before a piece goes online

  • Clean embroidery : even stitches, gold thread held taut, a neat reverse side.
  • A well-set bead : rows that hang just right, strong fittings, an easy clasp.
  • A material with body : dense velvet, bright gold-tone metal, ceramic with real weight to it.
  • A weight you can wear all evening : earrings stay light, bib necklaces rest on the collarbones.

Pieces that do not pass these four checks are not put online. Our article spotting a truly handmade piece sets out these criteria so that you can check them yourself, here or anywhere else.

Packing table in the HK Handmade atelier: open ivory boxes with black tissue paper, satin ribbon, a white beaded bag and a gold-tone necklace ready to go, by a Parisian window
Before it leaves: an ivory box, black tissue paper, satin ribbon. The piece you receive is the one in the photographs.

One of each, rarely two

Most pieces exist only once. When one of them finds its owner, another takes its place, never quite the same. The photographs show the real piece, presented by the Maison; the piece delivered is the one shown.

Write to Amélie

A question about a size, a colour, a wedding date to meet, or a piece made on request: write to contact@hk-handmade.com. Amélie replies herself, usually within 24 working hours. Pieces in stock leave within 3 working days; complimentary delivery in France from €79; 14 days to change your mind.

To see the pieces: ceremony jewellery sets, embroidered waistcoat and bolero collection, occasion clutches, the full Evening & Occasion collection, and Our Maison.

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