Plain Tiger Spotlight: Paulina Echeverri

Colombian Jewellery Design Takes the Stage

By Renee Fortune

Browse the Paulina Echeverri collection on Plain Tiger and you’ll be dazzled. You’ll also notice that when it comes to Paulina Echeverri jewellery, there is no ‘out-of-the-box’ design approach, because there simply is no box. When you look at the range, you’ll see the dimension of form being taken beyond the limits of geometry or line or symmetry. Paulina Echeverri is a jewellery brand that exists completely outside of convention, and if anything, it’s oh-so refreshing.

Paulina is the brainchild of young entrepreneurs, Paulina Echeverri and Paula Quintero (#femmeenergy) who dare women to be different in their approach to fashion, by producing pieces that celebrate an offbeat sense of style. These bold, statement pieces are designed for women who march to the beat of their own drum – can you hear it?

Each piece is handmade in brass and plated in 24k silver or gold by a small team of local artisans, who live in communities throughout Colombia. These artisans are supported and empowered to produce their best work under conditions that represent what the future of fashion should look like – fairness for all. Part of the team’s personal ambition is to put the spotlight on the ingenuity and craftsmanship that comes out of Colombia. It’s a country with many unique challenges but for the team at Paulina, these challenges are opportunities in disguise.

From the onset of their entrepreneurial journey, Paulina and Paula dreamed of creating a business that would be more than ‘just another jewellery brand’. It had to be a brand that could lead by example, and pave the way for future generations of designers. Desginers who recognise the need for the design and fashion industries to become more aligned with the global sustainability movement. This approach is part of the Paulina DNA, a big part of which is a ‘zero-waste’ philosophy which means that all of their pieces are produced in very limited quantities, with exports being produced upon request only. This no-excess, no-nonsense approach to jewellery design makes Paulina a forerunner in the growing Colombian design industry and we can’t wait to see what lies ahead.

But also, we have to mention pleats. Because pleats are life. As you may have noticed when you scrolled through the collection, Paulina and Paula are obsessed with pleats and incorporate them liberally into their design work.

As Paula elaborates: “Creating pleats is one of the techniques we use to differentiate our jewellery in the market. For us, pleats capture the dynamic energy of our brand and create a sense of movement. After all, we make jewellery for movers and shakers – women who are going places and make powerful statements with how they adorn themselves. We hope that our creative approach will make our brand more recognisable, so that when you see it on the street, you’ll know it’s Paulina.”

It’s difficult not to fall in love with how feminine this jewellery is, but without losing its sense of youthful playfulness. It’s a brand that dares you to ‘live a little’, throw caution to the wind and experiment with shape and texture in new and exciting ways. It’s an energy that’s infectious.

Paula and Paulina take great pride in being independent designers, particularly at a time in history when the industry for fashion and accessories is changing and evolving at breakneck speed. It can be difficult to get ahead and make your mark on the world. But these women are up to the task and proud of what they are building, as well as what it means for the artisans they admire and invest in.