Voice on the high street: Les Néréides
Tell me about the history of Les Néréides?
Les Néréides is above all a love and a family story: Pascale and Enzo Amaddeo fell in love in Belgium when studying art. She was from a three generations of artists including a grandfather who was friends with Magritte. He had grown up in a large Italian anti-conformist family. The fusion of these two universes and the seventies cultural immersion sparked an entrepreneurial and creative ride.
For more than 35 years the Les Néréides trademark has been the signature of highly creative, unconventional and constantly evolving semi-precious and high end costume jewellery.
What are your favourite designs to stock?
Through its collections, Les Néréides sustain a know-how inherited from high-end fine jewellery. In the heart of its Parisian workshop, each piece stems from a drawing straight out of the imagination of the designers. The jewels are then manufactured and delicately hand-painted following the enamelling technique. Feminine and sophisticated, timeless and proud of its inspiration drawn from Nature, Les Néréides offer a collection of one of a kind affordable luxury jewels.
What has been your biggest achievement so far?
Les Néreides is a French family business which was developed in the UK by Nina Amaddeo, daughter of Pascale and Enzo. She moved to London in 1998 and opened the iconic store in Covent Garden in 2005. Through the years, the shop has managed to make a name for itself and is now a staple of the neighbourhood. On the bigger picture, we also have about 100 stores around the world, from Paris to Japan, it’s a beautiful family success story.
What is your favourite part of your job?
Working every day amongst creativity and femininity. The vision of Les Néréides is “be the jewellery brand that evokes the most beautiful emotions in the world”, and I think that is also true for people lucky enough to work there. It is a very whimsical, bucolic and sunny world. Furthermore, it is a very nice environment as everyone has been part of the company for many years.
What are your business goals for 2019?
First and foremost, we are planning on developing the brand here in the UK, by opening more stores. The very first UK shop was located in Kings Road and it is our main goal to go back there.
Secondly, in 2015 the Les Néréides Loves Animals Foundation was created by the family as a means to help associations for animal welfare worldwide. Each season, we have limited edition collections, a percentage of their proceeds are donated to the foundation. This helps finance refuges and shelters that work to protect abandoned, endangered or sick animals.
