TI AMO UNFILTERED: STÉPHANIE D'HEYGERE

From Ti Amo Issue

Single bride, sisterhood and self-love: the Belgian designer gets candid in our Ti Amo Q&A.

What do Martin Margiela, Julia Fox, Glenn Martens, and heart bandage earrings have in common? A singular thread: Stéphanie D’Heygere. With her funny subversive approach to jewelry and accessory, the Belgian designer crafts accessories that blend poetic gesture with wearable ready-made. Think Duchamp with a piercing.

Stéphanie's obsession? Giving everyday objects a second life. With D’heygere, even the most ordinary accessory becomes a work of art, a totemic piece. In her hands, the mundane becomes magnetic: earrings double as cigarette holders, rings chime like bike bells, and DVDs dangle like precious gems. There’s a whisper of Martin Margiela in her approach — a shared affinity for the off-kilter and the conceptual. No wonder: she honed her craft at the Belgian house in the early 2010s.

Back then, Stéphanie was a fresh graduate of Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where she met her longtime creative ally, Glenn Martens. Not long after, she joined the jewelry department of Maison Margiela, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary at the time. There, she absorbed more than technique — she embraced an artistic philosophy rooted in radical conceptualism and a pioneering take on upcycled fashion. "Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed” — Lavoisier’s law could easily serve as the mantra of a designer who seeks to rethink, challenge, and redefine the boundaries of jewelry and accessories.

After a stint at Dior, Stéphanie D’Heygere struck out on her own, founding her brand in 2018 — the same year she won the ANDAM Prize. Her witty, subtly humorous creations have captured the imagination of the fashion world, leading to collaborations with brands likes of Jil Sander, Courrèges, Gentle Monster, or Jacquemus. The latest? D’heygere x I’m Sorry, with Petra Collins's unclassifiable brand. A collection infused with dreamy femininity, evoking the tender ache of adolescent romance. With her SS25 collection, the designer takes it a step further and envisions a collection titled: The Single Bride. No doubt, with Stéphanie D’Heygere: love is eternal.

Ti Amo Unfiltered

Today, are you in the mood for love?
Everyday since I met my boyfriend.

If love were an object?
A flower.

Your ultimate crush?
A young Robert de Niro.

The most romantic thing you've ever done?
Falling in love.

Your astrological alter ego?
None (I'm an Aries...).

A passion in life?
Artist house-museums.

A piece of jewelry to make your ex jealous?
An engagement ring.

Your favorite place for a date?
The terrace of restaurant Le Voltaire.

The greatest love story of all time?
André Agassi and Steffi Graff.

A lovely word to describe Petra Collins?
Talented.

What about your collection “Dear Diary”?
Nostalgic.

An accessory to fall in love?
Our SS25 Rose Sleeve Bag, the perfect bag to carry a rose.

Love triangle: a dinner with 3 favorite people?
Pippa Garner, Inge Grognard and George Sand.

The best love declaration, in your opinion?
A love song.

A love song?
Georgy Porgy by Toto and Careless Whisper by George Michael.

Your perfect date?
Exhibition + diner.

The most romantic place in Paris?
The top of the Eiffel Tower (with a glass of champagne).

Do you have a credo for love?
Be yourself.

Summer of love or Brat summer?
Summer of love.

Ti Amo... ?
Mathieu.

So, love is not dead?
Alive and kicking.

And.. are you sorry?
Sometimes.

The D’heygere x I’m Sorry collection is available on ssense.com & dheygere.com.