A brief panegyric to those senseless phrases one hears too often when one is a creator, a second-hand dealer, a stylist, a creative—in short, an independent professional who encounters preconceived notions.
"Surely you can give me a discount, right?"
What designer, what independent professional hasn't heard that phrase before? As if we had to justify our prices.
Would these demanding customers ask for a discount at Zara or Monoprix? From a service provider, like their doctor, for example? No, of course not. Because a doctor is serious business. And the price of food isn't debated; we happily agree to pay farmers, and that's already great progress. But then, why should a creator have to justify the prices applied to the fruit of their labor?
"It's not that hard to make! I have my grandmother's medals too; I could do the same."
Sometimes I've had the impression that, for some people, I just find something, tinker with it for 2 minutes, resell it, and pocket the money.
Why are creative professions so often underestimated? Is using one's imagination and manual dexterity a way to make money easily? That's what some seem to believe.
However, like all creators, I calculate and estimate the prices of my jewelry at their fair value. So, let's see, what does this fair price include? How do I justify not selling my creations at fast-fashion prices?
First, there's the material part, which can be estimated:
"It's a shame; your medals are a bit damaged."
Upcycled materials
Some are almost worthless financially and have a touching history; others are rarer, made from more precious materials, and are purchased at a higher price. But what's really important is the time spent hunting for treasures, never knowing what you'll find. It's this research time that's valuable and ensures the quality of the selected pieces, as well as the time needed to sort them, clean them, and sometimes even repair them, without altering the traces of their past and their history that make them unique and touching.
New materials
Carefully selected, they are chosen for their quality and origin. Chains and findings come from Europe, made only of 925 silver or gold-filled material.
Gold-filled is a manufacturing process for jewelry components that uses a thick layer of 14K gold mechanically pressed or heat-bonded onto a brass base. The weight of the gold alloy corresponds to 1/20th of the total product weight, which is about 50 times more than in a gold-plated product. I use this material for chains, as well as for all rings and clasps with a gold finish.
No Chinese suppliers, no cheap alloys, no plastic or composites, only natural materials like fine stones or mother-of-pearl.
Packaging
Paper, yes, but carefully folded by hand for each piece of jewelry. Often, I slip in a small antique card that I bought from second-hand dealers.
Material investments and fixed costs
Pliers, polisher, storage, internet, etc., which allow for work under qualitative conditions thanks to professional equipment.
Then there's the more subjective part, which nevertheless makes all the difference. One could call it added value.
The labor, in this case mine and mine alone, first and foremost. Honestly, do we become self-employed to be paid minimum wage? Don't you think that to succeed, we need to demonstrate skills and the responsibility of a manager or even a business owner? Because "micro-enterprise" does contain the word "enterprise."
One rarely spends 8 hours at the workbench when creating a jewelry brand. So, being paid minimum wage is heresy if you simply want to eat at the end of the month. (I remind you that the hourly minimum wage in 2022 is €10.57.)
The work on unique pieces is also more tedious; there is no serial production at MADALENN. Each piece is different and requires tailored work. Sometimes, I don't succeed; I undo, I start over. Other days, there are breakages, defects, which must also be accounted for. It's not optimal, but I am committed to this approach to offer you jewelry that you will never see on anyone else.
"Honestly, you could offer free shipping!"
(it's free for purchases over €100)
And then there are all the associated costs, which are why you know MADALENN today and which are not free: the pop-ups and events I participate in, the time spent searching for the right addresses, the right people, communicating, imagining a scenography, its realization, setting up a stand, inviting you to come discover it over a drink, the time spent on site with you.
And what might be less visible are the business cards, envelopes and cards for shipments, a photographer from time to time, the costs of listing on various internet platforms, sales commissions, pop-ups. The organization, the planning of Instagram posts, the writing of this post – everything takes time. And as you know, time is money….
Not to mention, of course... taxes. Yes, creators also pay taxes.
"I've seen some similar ones at Zara, but cheaper."
And above all, more than anything else… the ideas! Like all creatives, I know that intellectual property, original ideas, and constant renewal have a price that is non-negotiable. Otherwise, everyone who works with their intellect would work for free. Each MADALENN jewel is unique; there are obviously no copies of models seen elsewhere. They are crafted and adjusted to highlight the curated elements, ensuring stylistic renewal and constant evolution, always with conviction.
You can also check out the interview conducted for Couleurs Paris on Instagram.
If after all this, you still doubt the value of MADALENN jewelry, ...
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