Emmy Van Leersum was born in 1930 in the Netherlands. After studying at the Kunstnijverheid Instituut in Amsterdam, she did not define herself as a mere jewelry maker, but as an industrial designer. Very early on, she moved away from traditional ornamentation to imagine a jewel conceived as a design object, at the intersection of body, sculpture, and movement.
Her creations, neutral and universal, made from modern materials such as PVC or aluminum, herald a true revolution: that of contemporary jewelry.
1. Imagining jewelry as autonomous works of art
For Emmy Van Leersum, jewelry is not an accessory, but a sculpture that comes to life in contact with the body. In collaboration with designer Gijs Bakker, her creative partner, she developed in the 1960s a radical approach: to design body and face jewelry that redefines the boundary between art, design, and fashion.
Face jewelry, Van Leersum, 1975
“I’m not sure my work really has much to do with jewelry. It has more to do with people, with forms.” - Emmy Van Leersum
In 1967, during an experimental fashion show at the Stedelijk Gallery in Amsterdam, their models walked in metallic dresses and sculptural headpieces, accompanied by electronic music. This performance, considered the first presentation of conceptual jewelry, propelled the couple to the forefront of the Dutch “New Jewelry” movement.
A real turning point for European jewelry, then dominated by gold, gemstones, and tradition.
1967: Back to the Future - The New York Times
2. Her Broken Lines ring
The Broken Lines ring (1982) perfectly illustrates her vision. Inspired by a two-dimensional drawing, it consists of straight lines that intersect and break, creating a graphic and rigorous structure. The idea: to show that a jewel can be both intelligent and accessible, resulting from a simplified production process, without losing its aesthetic value.
This approach, very close to industrial design, still inspires many creators today who seek to give meaning to form.
Emmy Van Leersum wanted to make jewelry democratic while imbuing it with meaning. A process I deeply share in my own creations.
Inspiration of the Broken Lines ring
3. Applying design techniques to jewelry
One of her most striking gestures arises from a simple experiment: bending a simple aluminum tube, she discovered that once curved, it perfectly follows the shape of the wrist. From this insight came her famous conical cuffs, which became emblematic of modern jewelry.
Aluminum cuff, 1968
“I was interested in certain actions such as bending, and I applied them to the tube. This resulted in a complete transformation of the material, making other decorative additions unnecessary.”
4. A pioneering woman in a man's world
What is often forgotten is that Emmy Van Leersum had to assert herself in a field largely dominated by men. Her aluminum jewelry, futuristic hairstyles, and metallic silhouettes challenged the codes of feminine jewelry.
She dared to claim that a jewel could be neutral, genderless, almost utilitarian. A visionary idea in the 1960s, and still relevant today.
Her collaboration with Gijs Bakker was not always easy. While their duo marked Dutch design history, Emmy was sometimes eclipsed by her partner’s fame. Yet, without her, the “New Jewelry” movement would likely never have been born.
Portrait of Emmy Van Leersum
5. Legacy and influence
The works of Emmy Van Leersum are today preserved in several museums, including the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Her pieces continue to inspire an entire generation of creators who, like me, seek to make jewelry, sculpture, and architecture dialogue.
I am fascinated by the simplicity with which she was able to make jewelry a subject of reflection.
Head ornament in PVC, co-created with Gijs Bakker, 1967
In summary
Emmy Van Leersum is a visionary of modern jewelry, a creator who has been able to transcend decorative function to make it a plastic language.
Her jewelry, both rigid and flexible, structured and alive, embodies the very essence of what I love in design: the meeting of form, function, and emotion.
Sources and inspirations
- Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
- Gijs Bakker Foundation
- Exhibition “New Jewelry Movement”, 1967
- Archives Emmy Van Leersum
