Lachaume x Castafiore
Mother's Day SpecialFor Mother's Day, Castafiore and Lachaume have teamed up for a crossover conversation between flowers and jewellery. Stéphanie, head of Lachaume and childhood friend of Charlotte Rey, co-founder of Castafiore, talks with her about two naturally complementary universes. Two different languages but the same idea: that of a gesture of love, an act of kindness and a memory to pass on.
To start, can you tell us the story of Lachaume?
Stéphanie Lachaume: Lachaume is a true floral institution that has existed since 1845. The house has belonged to my family for 55 years. It came to us in 1971, the year of my birth, so I like to say that I was born into flowers.
Today, I work with my sister Caroline. Before us, there was my grandmother and then my parents. It’s a family adventure that we are very happy to continue in our turn.
How do you recognize a beautiful flower or a beautiful piece of jewelry?
Stéphanie Lachaume: There are many criteria: the color, the size, the variety... For flowers, the season also matters a lot. But I'd say what touches me first is the color.
Charlotte Rey: For jewelry, I'd say the craftsmanship and the creativity.
Why do we give flowers or jewelry?
Stéphanie Lachaume: We offer flowers to please others, but also to please ourselves. And most importantly, flowers always carry a message. That's essential.
Charlotte Rey: It's quite similar for jewelry. Today, women also buy jewelry for themselves, to celebrate a moment, an achievement, or simply out of desire. And of course, we also give jewelry to loved ones, to mark an occasion... or sometimes for no particular reason. It's always a token of affection.
What's the most beautiful gift you've given or received for Mother's Day?
Stéphanie Lachaume: The best gifts are still my children's drawings. For a long time, they drew turtles for me, so I have a whole collection of them at home. I don't have a turtle-shaped piece of jewelry yet, but I'd love to.
Charlotte Rey: There are plenty at Castafiore. [Laughter] For me, there's obviously the famous noodle necklace. Ultimately, we start making jewelry very early on. And then there are the drawings, the love notes... and beautiful flowers, of course.
Is there a signature in how you choose a piece or composition?
Stéphanie Lachaume: Yes, absolutely. For flowers, everything revolves around seasonality, with a strong focus on local and French flowers, such as the peonies from the Var region currently. Then, we either play with subtle color gradients or more marked contrasts, with two strong lines: the timeless classic and more rustic, garden-inspired compositions.
Charlotte Rey: At Castafiore, I primarily look for jewelry with high perceived value, across all styles and eras, with a particular fondness for textured yellow gold from the 70s-80s and stones like turquoise, coral, or precious gems. What I especially love is the mix of styles: like in a bouquet, it's diversity that creates balance and timelessness.
A flower wilts, a jewel remains: how do you see this contrast?
Stéphanie Lachaume: Perhaps you should choose a flower-shaped piece of jewelry! [Laughter] Flowers fade, but that's also what makes them beautiful: they carry an immediate emotion and a very strong memory, linked to the person who offers them. Even ephemeral, they remain in our memory, sometimes even in the form of small objects that we keep close to us.
Charlotte Rey: Jewelry, on the other hand, stands the test of time. At Castafiore, transmission is essential. Like flowers, it is often linked to a moment, a meeting, or a celebration, but it also tells the story of an era and a savoir-faire. And what is fascinating is this continuity: creation draws inspiration from archives and constantly reinvents itself, even today.
