【Paris, Franc】Claudine Vitry, High-Fashion Costume Jewelry Designer: ‘My Inspiration Is My Island, Réunion’

Claudine Vitry, High-Fashion Costume Jewelry Designer: ‘My Inspiration Is My Island, Réunion’
Having left for Paris to become an artist, Réunion native Claudine Vitry became “crazy” about costume jewelry, to the point of making it her career. A passion she has pursued for about thirty years.
By Dorothée Audibert | Published June 26, 2026 at 17:43 | Reading time: 4 min
Inviting us into her “world of peace, love, and happiness,” Claudine Vitry humorously urges us to discover her universe, which originates from her island in the Indian Ocean and weaves its threads all the way to Paris, the capital of fashion.
“Welcome in my world Peace, love and happiness for all the world” is an ode to joy. It’s hard to resist Claudine Vitry’s invitation as she traces, for Ultra Glamour, 30 years of an explosive career:

Claudine Vitry, the high-fashion costume jewelry designer · ©Claudine Vitry

Claudine Vitry was born in Réunion and grew up in the “La Rivière-Ouaki” neighborhood in Saint-Louis. She lived there until the age of 17. The young girl had a goal: to begin artistic studies in mainland France. Her parents did not approve but let her go. Claudine was determined. She “knew that her future would be made outside the island.” Convinced that her plans would take her far from Réunion, she packed her bags and arrived in Paris to study art. Her family, who eventually accepted her choice, decided to support her. It was the 1980s. The trend of colorful, oversized costume jewelry was exploding. The success of contemporary costume jewelry was a hit among fashionistas.
Jewelry created by Claudine Vitry · ©Claudine Vitry

It was the paruriers (dress embellishers) who paved the way for costume jewelry in the 1940s. Until 1920, jewelers made jewelry sets to enhance collections. Then Coco Chanel created and popularized a line of “colorful and bold” costume jewelry in 1936. The use of costume jewelry changed, becoming a modern, accessible, and fun accessory for everyone.
According to fashion magazine L’Officiel, Gabrielle Chanel “was influenced by her artistic encounters to imagine her costume jewelry.” High-fashion costume jewelry was born from artisanal and traditional know-how. The idea was to use jewelry sets as art, rather than as a symbol of wealth.
Unlike “cheap, ephemeral trinkets mass-produced,” explains Claudine Vitry, the birth of a costume jewelry piece begins with a “creative spark” in the designer’s mind and is finalized with a great deal of technique and aesthetics, akin to luxury sets.
High-fashion costume jewelry, created by Claudine Vitry · ©Claudine Vitry

In the Paris of Fashion, Claudine Vitry, who aimed to become a professional in jewelry, often visited friends who, she says, helped her “by introducing her to their workshop.” Self-taught, Claudine learned on the job. Stylist Julien Anryon became her mentor. Then the young apprentice was accepted by Maison Babylone, whose motto is “Beauty, Quality, and Elegance.” She truly began her journey into “the world of noble metals and precious stones.”

There she learned goldsmithing techniques, met ceramists, and worked with blown glass. She took up modeling and metal casting. Setting, polishing, and hallmarking hold no secrets for Claudine Vitry. “I learned a lot and I continue to learn. You can’t want to make costume jewelry without training,” asserts the designer from Saint-Louis.
Model wearing jewelry created by Claudine Vitry · ©Claudine Vitry

“I tell a story with each collection.” For three decades, the high-fashion costume jewelry designer has been creating unique pieces. Her inspiration naturally comes from her childhood memories in La Rivière-Ouaki: “The predominant colors in my collections are green and red.” And the red she associates with the volcano “Le Piton de la Fournaise,” still active on the island.
Sketch of a future piece of jewelry. Claudine Vitry · ©Claudine Vitry

Claudine very often returns to recharge on Île Bourbon (Réunion). Her parents are still very impressed by her career in the fashion industry. She finds it amusing, as she never destined herself for a professional path in that world.
Claudine Vitry · ©Claudine Vitry
Today, Claudine Vitry, whose work in mainland France is recognized by fashion professionals, says she is happy with the journey she has made. Fashion schools also offer her another way to pass on everything she has acquired over the past thirty years.

Welcome to her “world of peace, love, and happiness.”
By Dorothée Audibert