On The Verge

For the wild spirited!

My name is Virginie, people call me Virg. I am originally from France. I moved over here in Ireland some 23 years ago. A sudden decision taken over a very cocktailed night, few months after receiving my leaving cert and not knowing what to study. That night, as I was very... tipsy, I decided I'd move to Ireland. I woke up and went to get my CV translated into English and boomed

a ferry for the following week.

Alone, 19 years old me, my car and all my belongings - took the ferry from Roscoff to Ringaskiddy on the 2nd of October 1999.

 

It's me Virg with one of the leather scarves I make

I was working in IT for most of my carrier.  I had worked in several companies when in 2005 I had made an attempt at starting my own business after a trip to India. I was too young or not so mature enough to understand my own style or believing in myself. I panicked and went back working in IT.

 

Over 7 years ago now, I was working for Apple as a Software Testing Engineer. I loved my job, my boss and my colleagues. I was good at it, I worked hard, I really enjoyed it. But it was killing me not to be able to travel anymore. And not have energy for anything when I came home. I just kept on working from home as well. One day, in desperation, I had never done that before... I prayed to the universe to get me out of there. I didn't have the balls to quit such a good job. I really didn't know what to do with my life, except that I wanted to travel the world again - I told it/him/her - the universe then: thank you for getting me out of here, I do not know what I am gonna do, but I have been told that you do. So I trust in you. 10 days later - I lost my job in the most bizarre way. With my savings - I booked a ticket to India and got the On The Verge dream back on its wheels.

 

I like functional designs, simplicity & natural elegance. I am a romantic with a big crush on 60's fashion. My love for leather comes from my upbringing around horses. My love for sarees of course comes from watching women in India in their daily tasks from cooking, shopping, workin the fields, wearing their colorful sarees. I will never get tired to work with these colors and patterns.

 

My collection is ethically made by the same team for the past 7 years. I met them 13 years ago now. I sketch throughout the year. I design and redesign.  I make what I like to wear, I am the walking advertisement for my brand. It's easier to sell something you love and believe in. Growing up, I was the one dressing different, and in France, people surely make you feel different when you embrace your inidividuality. But not in Ireland,  another reason why I stayed. My wardrobe base is 80% black, I buy pretty much the same tank tops and long sleeve tops so I love wearing colorful kimono syle jackets over. Whether the LONG one, the ORIGINAL , the SHORT or the PETITE.  I usually wear black leggings, one of my leather skirts, a leather scarf and one on my kimonos.

 

At my market stall in Kinsale 

 

 

I also thought myself ceramics. I produce black and white porcelain jewellery: pendants, drop earrings, studs. My favorite shape is the triangular one so you will see it coming back over and over in my designs. I also love working with black and white porcelain and terracota mixed called marble effect or just ocellated.. All the jewellery that I make myself goes under the name LAVVŌ, as spin off of my last name. 

 

 

 I spend 6 weeks to two months in India each year to get all the materials first and then to follow my production. As I explain I work with the same people for years  - my indian family. It's always really hard to part from them but we video call every week sometimes twice a week all year round. And the last two years with Covid I couldn't go and it was very hard but we managed. 

 

Together with my indian family in the workshop in Delhi

My life dream 

Recently, thanks to all of ye, I made  my biggest dream come through and I got a beautiful Irish cottage in West Cork. So every purchase goes towards my restoration project. You can follow the progress in my stories.


 

I strive for quality, uniqueness and to dress the wild spirited like me :)

 

Thank you so much for visiting my shop. I hope that if you order from me, you will feel the care in the making all the way to the packaging & the general love for what I do.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my story,

 

Virginie AKA Virg

LAVVŌ Jewellery