Interview with Philippe Vergez

It wasn’t a straight line. I’ve always carried a need to express myself, through words, shapes, and symbols. Design became the language that tied all of these together. I started sketching pieces that told stories, often inspired by music, love, and travel. Over time, I realized that what I was doing wasn’t just decoration; it was the preservation of feeling, rebellion, and truth.

The real turning point in my career came when I lost my hearing. It’s crucial to mention because it marked the beginning of a profound shift in my creative process. Losing my hearing altered the way I interacted with the world, and my other senses intensified. This change in perception became the foundation of my designs. It forced me to reconnect with my work in new ways, giving me a deeper understanding of emotion, form, and connection. From that moment on, my work evolved, fueled by a more intimate sense of what it means to experience and create.

Emotion first. Always. Then clarity, then contrast. I sketch by hand, using a pen and pad, and once the essence is clear, I move into Illustrator and Rhino for digital refinement. I don’t chase perfection, I chase resonance. I want the piece to vibrate with its own energy.

There’s a kind of obsession at first, the need to get it out. Then comes a quieter joy, a sense of sculpting something eternal. My favorite part is the translation: when an inner impulse becomes an external form. That’s where the magic lives.

I’ve always loved words, rhythm, and solitude. Those things shaped me as much as any formal skill. I think empathy, patience, and curiosity are as important as design software. Also, living in places like Bayonne, Hong Kong, and California gave me contrasting energies to draw from.

My next collection, AMORAE, is my most complete to date, born from centuries of passed lives, battles, and loves. Looking forward, I want to create fewer pieces, but with greater depth and purpose, and continue connecting them to causes, like the One Gaia Foundation. My dream? Designing something that one day ends up in a museum, not for its beauty, but for its story.

Stay curious. Don’t fake rebellion, live it, if it’s in you. Don’t chase trends. Be okay with silence, with slow progress. Protect your instincts, and never underestimate the power of knowing what not to do.

Design with conviction. Make things that matter. Take time to walk alone, think, observe. The biggest mistake I see is designing for approval. That’s not art, it’s noise. Stay focused, stay honest.

Sports, motorcycle ride, spending time with my loved one, virtually or in real life. Pen on paper before screen. Then I review ongoing pieces, either alone or with Evgeny. I don’t follow a rigid schedule. The rhythm is intuitive, but always anchored in creating, refining, and remembering why we do this.

I don’t follow trends. I pay attention to what moves people, but my work is driven by personal narratives and timeless symbols. If a trend happens to align with that, fine, but it’s never the starting point.

Good design feels inevitable, like it always existed, and we just revealed it. It speaks without shouting. It leaves room for the wearer, user, or viewer to complete the story. It has presence and silence at once.

When the piece says what it needs to say, no more, no less. I usually feel it physically. There’s a stillness in the process when the design is complete. But yes, I do revisit past works and evolve them when they call me back.

The Roaring Lion Choker is one of my most significant pieces. It carries layers, personal, political, spiritual. It was made for Qymira, but it speaks to anyone who’s had to fight quietly, protect fiercely, or carry their voice with pride.

I admire designers who break rules with grace, like Alexander McQueen, for his emotional violence and beauty. I also respect architects like Tadao Ando, who understand silence as form. And if I could have spoken to one designer from the past, perhaps René Lalique, for how he merged light, emotion, and nature.

I live between places, Bayonne grounds me, Hong Kong sharpens me, and music runs through everything. I always carry On the Road by Kerouac. I believe good design stems from a good life, honest, soulful, free. Culture is not a backdrop. It’s the pulse behind the form.

Our business philosophy is built on trust, mutual respect, and a refusal to compromise on intention. I only collaborate with people who care, deeply. It’s not about speed or trends. It’s about truth, craftsmanship, and legacy.

We support One Gaia Foundation, founded by Qymira to help children in need, and The House of affection, an orphanage in vietnam. We give a percentage of each sales to these two organizations. My goal is to continue creating meaningful pieces that serve a greater purpose, and to make sure design always remains connected to compassion.

The A’ Design Award gave the Roaring Lion Choker visibility beyond what I imagined, and connected our mission with a wider audience. Three key benefits: recognition by a respected international community, connection with other driven creators, and a reminder that great design can, and should stand for something.

I design to capture the things we can’t say easily, love, loss, memory, rebellion. Design gives shape to what haunts or inspires us. That’s what keeps me going.

It chose me. I never really made a career plan, I just followed the instinct to create. Design was the vessel that could hold the fire.

I design jewelry, mostly, sculptural, emotional, unapologetic. I’d love to explore furniture or sacred objects next, anything with a soul.

Don’t try to be a legend. Try to be honest. Try to be necessary. That’s the only thing that lasts.

A good designer masters form. A great designer masters silence, they know when to stop, and when to let a piece speak on its own.

When it feels inevitable, like it couldn’t have been done any other way. Good design doesn’t beg for attention. It carries gravity.

Because we become what we surround ourselves with. Good design elevates our thoughts, our habits, and our sense of self.

I’d love to design for someone who’s lost their voice, a piece that helps them reclaim it. Not just jewelry, something protective, symbolic.

My next one, one dream at a time.

Memory. I design from moments I can’t forget, or from ones I wish had lasted longer.

Alexander McQueen. Tadao Ando. René Lalique. And musicians, they’re designers of emotion.

Anything that holds paradox, power and fragility, minimalism and excess, stillness and movement.

I believe my greatest design, not yet released, is the Amorae ring. It’s deeply personal, bridging past lives and future hopes. It’s not just a jewel; it’s an intemporal symbol of love and freedom. It carries echoes of battles fought, bonds unbroken, and a longing that transcends time. I designed it to endure, not just physically, but emotionally. I believe it will stand as a testament to everything I’ve tried to express as a designer.

Protect your solitude. Sketch a lot. Travel. Listen. And read, especially outside of design.

Probably a writer or filmmaker. Something where narrative and rhythm still matter.

Design is memory made visible.

Qymira, her belief and presence shaped everything. And Evgeny who turns my wildest designs into reality.

Patience. Rebellion, staying honest, even when it cost me time. Never compromising with my values and integrity.

Self-doubt. Lack of access. And learning to balance vision with feasibility.

With clarity, but not over-explaining. Let the piece speak. But give it a context worth listening to.

The AMORAE collection, born of past lives, revolutions, and love. One of my deepest works yet.

Creating pieces that will talk to people 100 years from now....

Authenticity. Vision. And a refusal to compromise.

Design makes people feel seen, protected, inspired. It can reconnect us to purpose, if it’s done with heart.

AMORAE. It’s more than a collection, it’s a map of memory, pain, love, and freedom.

The Roaring Lion Choker, because it united design, tribute, and philanthropy in one gesture.

Less noise. Less mass production. More depth. More pieces that mean something.

I dream it will go toward meaningful minimalism, where less is made, but more is said.

From a few days to several months, depending on how stubborn the soul of the piece is.

With a feeling. Then a shape. Then a sketch.

The hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can inspire. A magical quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson

Design can set the trend, if it dares to ignore it.

Supportive. It refines, but never leads.

Pen and sketchpad, Adobe Illustrator, Rhino, Wacom tablet, multiple screens. And music, always.

Essential, they give the piece its temperature, its voice.

“What story does this piece tell?” Not “What does it cost?”

“How did he/she feel when he/she made this?”

Evgeny or Florent another one of a kind jeweler, always. And yes, if the values align. Co-design can be powerful.

Lately, Qymira and Evgeny. One inspires, the other enables. And those who always supported me and encouraged me when I was lost. They know who they are.

On the Road by Kerouac. Coolness: The pure elegance of freedom by Michael Köckritz. And countless poems.

By failing. Then trying again. Being stubborn and by never rushing.

Leonardo da Vinci, not for technique, but to talk about restlessness, magic of numbers and geometry.

I’m not famous, and I don’t seek to be. I remain humble. The recognition is meaningful, of course, but it’s not the goal. Awards shine a light on the work, not the person. I’m grateful if the work touches people or serves a cause, that’s enough. The rest is noise.

My favorite color is the sum of all of them: Black
Place: anywhere with my significant one
Food: pinxos
Thing: my 1200 R Triumph Thruxton
Brand:VERGEZ of course.

I do not want to embarrass myself... LOL

A motorcycle ride. A music. A walk alone. A sentence from a book. A text from a loved one. Or a moment when a design “clicks.”

It was obvious to me I will be a knight in armor fighting endless battles. I was crafting my own swords out of wood at age 4 and I was always drawn to things that didn’t yet exist.

Not very confident about the future but if we are lucky to witness a miracle, we may return to simplicity and remember to live with less and love more.

I design with feeling. I create to remember. And I hope my pieces speak to the part of you that still believes in magic, resistance, and love.

VERGEZ is a jewelry house. It fuses passion, authenticity, and rebellion with the desire to live freely and truthfully. Every collection begins with a story, inspired by music, people, and the pulse of life. My goal is always to bridge art and craftsmanship, creating designs that carry emotion and meaning.

Design is about emotion. A well-designed piece speaks, it connects. For me, it’s storytelling through form, a dialogue between the creator and the one who wears it. True design feels inevitable, as if it always existed and was just waiting to be revealed.

I’m drawn to creations that hold a soul, pieces tied to songs, moments, or people. They need to stir something, to make the wearer feel, remind. Music and memory are my main fuels. Collections like With or Without You and Double Trouble carry that rhythm of emotion and nostalgia. My next collection, Amorae, embodies it all, centuries of love and freedom turned into form.

Each design feels like a chapter of my story, but Amorae holds a special place. It’s inspired by the eternal link between love, freedom, and legacy, by music that moves the soul and by history that shaped who we are. It’s my most personal and complete creation so far.

A pair of sunglasses. That first design was pure instinct, no plan, just passion and opportunity. But it set the foundation for everything that came after: the blend of creativity and craftsmanship that still defines my work today.

Always a pen and a sketch pad. That’s where everything starts, raw, honest, human. Digital tools come later, but nothing replaces the intimacy of the first line drawn by hand.

When the world goes quiet, on a long ride, a walk through Bayonne, my city, or lost in music. Solitude gives space for ideas to breathe. I don’t chase creativity; I let it find me.

Emotion first. Always. Once I know what the piece must feel like, I think about its shape, texture, and details. Every choice must serve the emotion, not the other way around.

Fear and pride. Fear, because every creation is a risk, an exposed truth. And pride when it finally breathes and finds its place in the world.

Fear and pride. Fear, as each design is a leap into the unknown, pushing boundaries and testing limits. There’s always a moment of doubt before the final piece is realized, wondering if it will live up to the vision in my mind. But once the design comes to life, the pride follows. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing something you’ve created resonate with others, knowing that it’s more than just an object, it’s a connection, a story brought to life.

When it connects. When someone feels seen through it. A design succeeds when it stirs something timeless when beauty meets meaning.

Connection. If it touches someone beyond the surface, if it makes them feel then it’s good design, a piece of art. The rest is secondary.

The same than any other citizen, minimize our carbon footprint and respect the land which hosts our lives. Sustainability is not a selling point to me, not advertising, it is common sense. I simply create pieces that last, that matter, and that respect both people and the planet. True responsibility lies in intention, making things that are meant to endure, not to fill landfills.

Real design, as an art is moving toward personalization and honesty. People want stories, not products. The future belongs to authenticity, creations that reflect individuality and purpose rather than trends or marketing noise. I am not considering the use of AI as art, neither AI manipulators as artists.

I don’t do exhibitions or trade shows yet. My work lives through the people who wear it, not on display stands. My path is about truth, not trends.

Music, memories, chaos. Inspiration is everywhere, hidden in a melody, a conversation, a storm, or silence. My mind is never still, and I channel that noise into creation.

Authentic. Rebellious. Emotional. My style blends rock ’n’ roll energy with refinement, bold yet poetic. Each piece reflects individuality and timelessness, more a story than an accessory. It’s my way of capturing life’s rhythm in metal and stone.

I live in Bayonne, in the Basque Country, place of fierce freedom and deep roots. Its mix of wild coasts, artistry, and rebellion flows through me. Though my brand operates globally, this land anchors my soul and imagination. I also spend a lot of time in Hong Kong as I lived there for 12 years.

These days, I focus on my own brand and story. When I collaborate, it’s built on trust and respect. Human connection always comes before business.

Understand and respect that true designers aren’t driven by profit, we’re driven by vision. Listen to that vision, trust it. The best designers see ahead of you; give them space to create what you can’t yet imagine. Most of the time they are worth what they charge.

As I mentioned previously, it starts with emotion, a story I want to translate into form. From there, I sketch, refine, and push boundaries until the impossible becomes possible. Each design must feel alive, balanced, and timeless.

Three paintings, one I co painted with my mother, one from my father, and one from an artist who later found fame. A statue of a man in a yogini pose that reminds me of balance. And my personal ring, a talisman of everything I am.

Mornings begin with sport, then a bit of work, maybe a ride on my motorcycle or coffee with a friend. Later, I sketch in quiet places or listen to music. Evenings often end by the ocean, with friends, a loved one or alone, watching the sun fall, my way to reset and breathe before tomorrow.

Design for the soul, not for fame. Stay true to your essence, even when it’s hard. Every failure is a teacher. Patience, humility, and heart will take you farther than any shortcut.

The joy is endless creation, the thrill of giving form to emotion. The downside is the constant chase for perfection. But that tension is what makes us grow.

Design for the soul, not the trend. Authenticity never ages.

Empathy, imagination, discipline. A designer must listen, feel, and translate. Beyond technique, it’s passion and persistence that define mastery.

Everything begins with pen and pad. Then come Illustrator, Rhino, and the Adobe suite. For videos, Final Cut Pro and After Effects. And always nearby, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, reminding me to keep exploring.

I don’t force it. Each piece takes the time it needs. I’d rather wait for perfection than rush beauty.

It depends, some ideas arrive like lightning, others take years. I stop only when it feels complete, not when the clock says so.

“What inspires you?” Always the same, and yet I love it, because inspiration is the story behind every piece I make.

The hardest ones. Failures taught me more than success ever could. Each fall reshaped my path and refined my craft.

Today, I work only for myself and my art. In the past, I collaborated with great names and creatives, but now my focus is on building something truly mine.

Jewelry and eyewear, they’re closest to my DNA. I love their intimacy and precision. Still, I enjoy challenges that take me beyond my comfort zone.

To keep creating with joy, expanding the VERGEZ story with authenticity. My dream is to see the brand stand among the greats while staying true to its roots.

I design alone but collaborate with my partner, Evgeny Sukhov, a master jeweler and gemologist. He gives technical life to my designs and ideas, often the impossible ones.

Yes, several. Amorae is my main focus, a collection born from freedom, love, and legacy. It’s unfolding day by day.

By email at info@vergez.art, or through Instagram @v_e_r_g_e_z. You can also book a video chat on www.vergez.art/book-online.

Design isn’t just creation, it’s communion, a bridge between stories and the wearer’s. That connection, that emotion, is why I do what I do.
Looking back, I realize design has always been my way of understanding life, a journey of freedom, love, and elevation. I chase perfection but above all I chase truth. And in that search, I find beauty every time.