Text: Laura Peres, Sandra Kemppainen
Photos: Laura Peres
My name is Laura Peres and I was born in Turin (Italy). I went to art school and I have graduated in architecture.
Ever since I was a child I had a very strong passion for creativity.
When I got older I started by drawing my clothes and then finally I discovered that I loved the jewelry and I have experienced many techniques. I also went to a school to learn how to make jewelry.
A soutache is narrow flat decorative braid, a type of galloon, used in the trimming of drapery or clothing. In clothing soutache is used to conceal a seam.
In military uniforms a particular width or color of soutache is used to indicate rank, particularly in a hat. In athletic uniforms a contrasting soutache is used to outline numbers or players’ names.
Soutache is often woven of metallic bullion thread, silk, or a blend of silk and wool. In the 20th century soutache began to be woven of rayon and other synthetic fibers.
Nowadays, this special method has found its way more and more often into jewelry designs. Soutache is a decorative braid. Attaching it to a backing and embellishing it with cabochons, crystals, and beads, is a hot, trending technique.
Braid is a unique hand embroidery and it gives a very subtle effects, both in form and color. Creating soutache jewelry is extremely time-consuming and they are made mostly of silk, or synthetic silk, are also often decorated with metal fibers: silver or gold, Swarovski crystals, minerals, and glass beads.
Jewelry that is impregnated additionally protects against dirt and gently secured from the inside with leather or felt. Earrings, bracelets and necklaces are usually finished with silver elements.
Laura Peres, although she works with web and graphic design, has a passion for creating jewelry. She tells that soutache technique is very complex, but it allows the creation of very rich and beautiful pieces which never go out of fashion.
Laura Peres also has a YouTube Channel where she shared quite many videos of how to create different types of jewelry.
Although she speaks in Italian, it is pretty easy to follow what she is doing.
You can see her tutorials by clicking here.
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