Samuel Coraux in Conversation | Colour, Chaos, and a Certain Something

STYLE & LIFE

Samuel Coraux in Conversation | Colour, Chaos, and a Certain Something

Article By Sahara .

Aug 14, 2026

From his crowded workshop in the Marais, Samuel Coraux creates jewellery alive with colour, movement, and a distinctly Parisian sense of play. We speak to the designer about Murano glass, Cinderella necklaces, creative chaos, and why a statement piece should never eclipse the woman wearing it.

Samuel Coraux makes jewellery with presence and a keen sense of proportion. In his Paris workshop, cord, glass, rubber, and metal are worked into pieces that move across the body rather than sit stiffly upon it. The scale may be bold and the colour unapologetic, but the weight is carefully judged. As Samuel puts it, a necklace should be an ally, never something that eclipses the woman wearing it.

His jewellery has been part of Sahara for many years, not least because it shares our passion for colour, individuality, and clothes that invite a more personal way of dressing. Behind each piece lies a workshop in the Marais where ideas are tested against materials, customers, and the occasional unfinished design with more magnetism than the intended bestseller. Here, Samuel talks about the creative value of chaos, the particular brilliance of Murano glass, and the fine line between bold and ridiculous.

That productive tension runs through our conversation. He is serious about proportion, construction, and comfort, but suspicious of anything that takes itself too seriously.

Are all Samuel Coraux pieces designed and made in Paris?

Everything is designed and produced in Paris, in our small workshop.

It is a matter of principle for me to revive the concept of the workshop, much like those of the Renaissance, and there is also, perhaps, the allure of the workshops of yesteryear. My grandfather was a stonemason, and I was always fascinated by his workshop and all the tools used to transform raw material. To me, as a child, it represented a space of freedom, a place of infinite potential, a dream world!

What comes first: movement, volume, or colour?

I believe the initial idea stems from movement, an energy that takes physical form, much like in calligraphy. It all begins with a gesture, a structure.

Then, I work on the volume to ensure the necklace drapes well, followed by the colour. Since the accessory is worn with clothing, I need to follow, or draw inspiration from, current fashion colour trends.

Do you sketch first or work directly with materials?

We generally work with the materials themselves, but we also take inspiration from the people who visit the workshop.

Our workshop doubles as a boutique located in the Marais district, right next to the Picasso Museum. This brings us a clientele from all over the world, representing a wide range of cultures.

This clientele, through what they admire in the workshop and what they actually buy, helps me shape our collections.

For instance, my team and I might think we’ve created the “necklace of the year”, the next big bestseller, only to realise that customers walking in don’t see that “brilliant necklace” at all. Instead, they’re drawn to a piece sitting in the corner, something unfinished, just a rough draft, yet one that possesses a certain something, a magnetic pull.

So, we set aside the “brilliant necklace” and focus on the “Cinderella” necklace, we could call it that!

It has a singular, unique quality, but now we need to refine it so it appeals to a wider audience.

What is the workshop like during the making process?

The studio is always a bit chaotic, not by choice or as a deliberate statement.

Rents are high, and we never have enough space, hence the clutter!

But during the creative process, it’s chaos within chaos. There’s stuff everywhere, from floor to ceiling. If we weren’t usually just days away from trade shows, and in a bit of a trance-like state, I’d find myself asking, “Who could possibly work in here?”

The creative process involves a sense of movement and transformation. Materials laid out on a table get swept up, order turns to chaos, chaos finds a new order, and, in place of raw components, a new object emerges!

People who visit the studio find it inspiring and unconventional, and that element of surprise always leads to pleasant encounters and new connections.

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How do you source your materials?

It always comes down to a bit of chance, chance encounters, and necessity. But I would love to have more time for “sourcing”, as the saying goes, and to visit India, where there is exceptional craftsmanship and know-how that could be used to create an unconventional, contemporary piece of jewellery.

What draws you to Murano glass?

My connection to Murano glass began with a meeting with two Venetian brothers who love Murano beads, both contemporary and antique, and possess deep knowledge of Murano’s history.

What drew me in initially were the colours of Murano glass. To me, they are exceptionally beautiful and vibrant.

Venetians have been working with glass for over 2,000 years. During the era when Venice dominated the world, they gained access to specialised knowledge and pigments, enabling them to create unique colours. The glass was of such exceptional quality that it became known as “Cristallo”.

Another thing I love about Murano glass is that it is the glass of Venice. Going to work in Venice is, as my daughter would say, “cool”. Taking the vaporetto in the morning beats the subway any day!

It means immersing yourself in a world that feels timeless. The working methods haven’t changed much, the techniques remain the same, and the workshops are wonderfully rustic, almost surreal. It is a setting steeped in charm and history, defined by craftsmanship that remains consistently precise.

How do you judge when a piece is bold enough?

That is a very good question, one I ask myself constantly, and which I believe defines the brand’s uniqueness. After all, it takes very little for boldness to tip over into the ridiculous.

You have to strike the right balance.

I don’t know if this counts as an answer, but back when I was a student, I was in a theatre troupe. In theatre, you have to project your voice, exaggerate your makeup, and play up your emotions, yet it all has to come across as natural.

To me, a piece of jewellery can be bold, striking, or imposing, but it shouldn’t overshadow the person wearing it, or at least, it shouldn’t eclipse their personality.

A necklace is there to complement a person, an outfit, or a certain way of being. It is an ally.

What should jewellery do for the person wearing it?

To me, a piece of jewellery is an ally that introduces you to the world and shapes how you want the world to see you.

Naturally, it serves to make you unique and beautiful, in the sense of giving you self-confidence so that you truly radiate.

It complements an outfit. There is always a subtle interplay between clothing and jewellery, and women know exactly how to play with that dynamic.

We have a client, for instance, an opera singer, who travels the globe extensively but dislikes the hassle of large suitcases. She relies on just four or five favourite dresses, paired with a wide array of necklaces, rings, and earrings from our workshop. She once told me, “It’s quite amusing, really. No one ever notices that I’m always wearing the same dresses!”

How does calligraphy appear in your jewellery?

I’m going to give you a roundabout answer!

Often, when people walk into the studio, they tell us, “It’s joyful.”

And I think that comes from the movement in the pieces we create, the rhythm, the colours, or the interplay between them. Calligraphy is a breath infused into what we create. The movement isn’t static; it flows on.

Are there colour combinations you return to?

From the start, I’ve loved working with primary colours and bold, vibrant hues. It instantly creates a look that is joyful yet contemporary, with an artistic flair.

However, another source of inspiration has emerged through experience and our relationships with clients. Since we work with so many different countries, the approach to colour, and colour combinations, varies from place to place and era to era. What might have been considered ugly at one time can become incredibly cool and fashionable at another!

What is the most unexpected material you have used?

We once made a necklace for a fashion show. I had found some flat pieces of rubber, the kind you come across on the beach, that even had oysters attached to them, and I took almost all the materials we work with in the studio to create a big, eclectic “melting-pot” necklace.

Do you think about age when designing?

I’ve realised that age means nothing when it comes to creating, and that it is all very relative.

We work with around thirty countries, places as diverse as Germany and Italy, China and Canada, the United States and Japan, New Zealand and the Caribbean, and I notice that a particular necklace design might appeal to a young, trendy clientele in one country, while attracting a more established, conventional customer base in another.

What should someone look for in a statement piece?

For me, comfort comes first. There was a time when women “had to suffer to be beautiful”. Why? That always shocked me.

So, for me, a necklace or a pair of earrings, even if they are bold, must be lightweight and comfortable. Ultimately, that makes the piece easier to wear every day.

Is there one piece in the Sahara selection that captures your current mood?

That’s a trick question, because the selection made by Sahara is very subtle and encompasses the various inspirations we have within a single collection!

It’s a bit like having children. Do you have a favourite? You can’t answer, or you simply don’t want to!

How should Samuel Coraux jewellery be cared for?

With our jewellery, as with jewellery in general, you need to be careful with perfume. Avoid spraying it directly onto the pieces.

A second tip is to store the jewellery by wrapping it and placing it back in its pouch to protect it and prevent it from losing its shape, or to hang it up.

Samuel’s description of jewellery as an ally feels particularly apt. These pieces would never ask the wearer to become someone else. They work with the clothes she already owns, shifting their proportions, introducing an unexpected colour, or giving a familiar dress a quite different presence.

Their boldness is tempered by comfort, and their humour by precision. Behind each apparently spontaneous loop and curve, there’s a close understanding of weight, movement, and how a piece meets the body. Even the chaos of the workshop has its own logic: materials are laid out, swept aside, rediscovered, and gradually brought into balance.

Perhaps that’s why Samuel Coraux jewellery has felt so at home at Sahara for so many years. It has character without severity, intelligence without self-importance, and enough wit to recognise that the necklace everyone ignores may, in fact, be the one worth pursuing.

Samuel Coraux

Mini Sketch Earrings