History
Parels van Makkum is a jewelry collection of fashion designer Alexander van Slobbe and the oldest company in the Netherlands: Royal Tichelaar Makkum (from 1572). After they put together a series of porcelain buttons and the cap for the perfume bottle of Van Slobbe’s women’s label Orson + Bodil, the idea arose to make jewelry from porcelain.
The first Parels van Makkum were produced in 2006: a collection of porcelain pearls in different sizes and shapes and with different glazes and decorations which were available per piece or strung as a necklace.
The collection also contained earrings in the form of large teardrop pearls, inspired by the painting Meisje met de parel of Johannes Vermeer (ca. 1665).
In 2011 the series was extended with new pearls and colors, inspired by the costume jewelry and especially by the jewelry from the sixties and seventies. Three bright colors on a dark gray background, which gave the new pearls an almost graphic appearance.
With the closure of Tichelaars factory shop in 2013 an end came to the serial production of Parels van Makkum. Since then Makkum pottery is made only on request.
In 2016, Anne Hayen and Alexander van Slobbe took the initiative to re-release the earrings from Parels van Makkum. In 2018 the necklaces have also been added.
“In all cultures the pearl has a symbolic meaning, like eternity, youth or immortality. For me the pearl is a precious jewel which reminds to Dutch folklore but which is also the epitome of minimalism.” (Alexander van Slobbe)
