GemGenève 2026 – Brooch 2.0

Inspired by « An American in Paris »

At the renowned GemGenève jewelry fair, which is celebrating its 10th edition this year, second-year students in the Bachelor’s program in Product, Jewelry, and Accessories Design will exhibit their creations at Palexpo from May 7 to 10, 2026.

As part of an annual workshop conducted in partnership with the Grand Théâtre de Genève, second-year Bachelor students in Jewelry and Accessories Design at HEAD – Genève drew inspiration from the film An American in Paris. This iconic postwar musical, carried by the music of George Gershwin, embodies the energy of Paris in full renaissance.  
It was precisely during this era that the brooch experienced its golden age. A statement of piece worn on the chest like a declaration; it embodies boldness, color, and an unapologetic optimism. At once accessible and theatrical, the brooch is, by nature, a piece made for the stage.  
It is this fundamental connection between History and jewelry that was explored during this workshop, challenging students to elevate the brooch to the status of a narrative and dramaturgical object, moving beyond its role as a mere accessory.  

Grounding their work from a contemporary perspective, the young designers reinterpreted and reinvigorated this heritage through the creation of a costume brooch that is both current and conceptual: brooch 2.0.  
Each project enters into conversation with a singular creative universe while echoing the themes at the heart of the work: movement, emotion, freedom of expression, and the art of staging.  

This workshop has been led by Valentina Brugnatelli, a designer specializing in luxury jewelry for leading fashion houses and sponsored by GemGenève. 
During GemGeneve fair, all visitors will be invited to vote for their favourite project, which will receive the "Public's Favourite" prize, with the award ceremony taking place on Sunday, 10 May 2026, from 1:30pm to 2:30pm.
To vote, there are two options:

  • On site: a ballot box will be available at Stand EC01
  • Via a voting link, which will be made available shortly.

Find below descriptions of the exhibited works that you can explore here, and access the voting rules (in French).
Discover the full event programme on the dedicated website.

Students ' projects

Pigeon Vole — Alexia Götz. Hardened steel, 925 silver  
In an effort to demystify the romanticised vision of an Americanised Paris and ground it in everyday reality, these two spread-wing brooches symbolise the tragic yet utterly commonplace fate of these birds, fallen angels in the gutter. 

L'amour au rat — Aurélien Dumoulin. Copper, bronze and brass 
Three rats with intertwined tails represent Jerry, Lise and Henri in a post-war Paris. Their red stone eyes evoke the passion of the love triangle, whilst the knot of their tails speaks of the bond that ties them together forever. 

Rêverie — Balthazar Merland Plexiglas. Aluminium, rhinestones 
This piano brooch is inspired by Adam, a tormented and passionate artist who dreams of living from his music. It captures the ambiguous relationship between a musician and his instrument, at once a source of joy and of suffering. 

Baby wake up, le pli est à la mode ! — Caroline Rochat. Thermoplated bronze 
Inspired by the gathered costumes of the musical, these two brooches create the fold rather than simply adorning the garment. Ornament and fabric merge into a single object, generating volume and movement. 

Ballet d'illusions — Delphine Grétillat  
Reversible and modular, this brooch is composed by two faces: one colourful and vibrant, inspired by the final ballet and costume jewellery, the other more refined, rooted in the jewellery world and evoking the Paris reconstructed by Hollywood studios. A central pin unites them, just as the film unites illusion and reality. 

Trichromie — Ella Barrau. Brass, with sandblasted, polished and painted finishe.
Three independent modules, three primary colours, three characters. Their forms are inspired by organ pipes, in reference to the symphonic poem from which the musical originates. The brooch assembles or separates, reflecting the shifting closeness and distance of the love triangle. 

I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise — Emilie Rau  
A star and a diamond shape represent the two protagonists, united on a symbolic staircase. The brooch evokes their shared ascent, from dream to reality, from war to hope. 

Tir à l'arc — Larissa Jenne  
Five Cupid's arrows, one for each character, each following its own trajectory. This tremblant brooch comes to life with the movement of its wearer, evoking the romantic disorder and dreamy atmosphere of the film. 

I love you but I love me more — Laura Marie Braillard. 925 silver, automotive paint, epoxy resin, copper, silicone 
Pink on the front, silver metal on the reverse: this reversible brooch offers a reinterpretation of Lise Bouvier, no longer an idealised muse, but a woman in her own right. The inscription engraved on the back raises the question the film never dares to ask: who is Lise, before being someone's lover? 

Galeries Duval — Lena Zambrano  
Inspired by Lise, a perfume sales assistant, this brooch takes the form of a perfume bottle. Its shell pendants are designed to chime softly, making this piece as much a sensory object as an ornamental one. 

L'Aile de Milo — Nicolas Ulrich. Steel and feathers  
Red feathers and cold steel compose this brooch dedicated to Milo, a character who appears carefree on the surface yet is deeply lonely within. The materials reflect his duality: warmth and passion on one side, rigidity and sorrow on the other.  

Blue Memory — Prune Berger. Bronze, brass, grosgrain ribbon coated in resin.
This commemorative pin pays tribute to the victims of war. A grosgrain ribbon—the material used for military medals—is embedded in resin as a preserved memento. Its shape evokes both a star and an atomic structure, symbols of an era focused on the future yet rooted in memory. 

Kitschissime — Ana Rodrigues Fereira   
This brooch draws inspiration from kitsch, an aesthetic that permeates *An American in Paris*—in its sets, its storytelling, and its use of contrasting lighting. 

 

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GemGenève 2026 – Broche 2.0
© HEAD – Genève, Raphaëlle Mueller