Originally from south of Brazil, Giselle Effting remembers collecting seashells with her mother and sister on the beautiful beaches of Santa Catarina. This was when she made her first necklaces and bracelets, and looking back, that innocent and sweet childhood memory was the very beginning of her passion for jewelry making even though at that time she had no idea what waited for her years later.
The Brand
Gi By Giselle is an independent jewelry brand based in Florence, Italy that focuses on making distinctive pieces that follow the lines of the body in an inventive but minimalist style. As an independent brand, Giselle focuses on providing personalized service that combines expert craftsmanship with long-lasting quality. Gi by Giselle, founded in 2019 by designer Giselle Effting, is a gender-neutral jewelry brand that thinks sustainability and produces pieces by hand, refines them in 3D, and finishes them in Titanium & Gold with natural gemstones.
Founder and Designer’s Biography
At the age of 15, she began her decade long career as an international model. She lived in 9 different countries and it was during this time that she had the opportunity to be exposed to the works of creative directors, fashion stylists and high-end jewelry brands across 4 continents.
After settling in Hong Kong for a great period of her life, she discovered her passion for jewelry. Fascinated by how gemstones are in essence a result of millions of moments in nature captured in a single crystal, Giselle harnessed the foundations of her knowledge as a jewelry artist at the Gemological Institute of America.
After completing her studies, she began working as a jewelry designer at a longstanding Hong Kong jeweler known in the market for its long heritage in high-end jewelry with a particular focus in diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. A milestone project of hers while there was to develop a collection inspired by Chinese culture seen through a western lens. She explored Chinese history from numerous angles to develop a collection inspired by mystical elements, made in pure gold with designs that can stand the softness of the materials. This opened her mind to conceptual design, as it triggered her curiosity in finding production solutions for design ideas from a jewelry maker’s perspective. This was the catalyst for her to lean towards jewelry making.
She headed to Florence where she pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree majoring in jewelry at the prestigious Alchimia Contemporary Jewelry School. There, she mastered all aspects of jewelry making and design, from creation and concept to fabrication and presentation, allowing her to further develop a more contemporary approach, exploring different materials, colours and innovations on shapes.
