Suzanne Syz’s jewelry draws upon unlikely sources of inspiration. Her luxurious pieces are unquestionably haute joaillerie — appealing to a clientele of princesses and celebrities — but crossed with playful iconography pulled from the pharmacy, the disco, the supermarket, and children’s games. Gold and enamel cufflinks are shaped like pistols and named after Mae West; a brooch dotted with Malayan garnets, emeralds, and white diamonds is a glittering mushroom; a white gold-and-onyx bracelet drapes a set of dominos across the wrist.Based in Geneva, Syz’s violet showroom features Guy Bourdin photographs from the 1960s and 1970s and a stitched photograph of Liza Minelli by Andy Warhol. Art is a de facto element for the designer. Since 2016, she has been collaborating with notable Contemporary artists for her jewelry displays at international fairs. She commenced with John Armleder, who created jewel-box sculptures in iridescent blown glass that referenced Japanese pastry, followed by Sylvie Fleury’s blown-up brooch and over-sized earring stand installation, followed by Alex Israel’s ceramic painted frozen yogurts inspired by his own sculpture “The Bigg Chill.” The collaborations come as no surprise, given that Syz has been an art fair regular for over 30 years, and a collector for just as long. (She also helped transform Banque SYZ in Geneva — where her husband Eric is a founding partner — into an art-filled venue with hundreds of pieces on view for the lucky employees and clients.)We spoke with Syz about her appreciation of new technologies, why she relates to a cheeky English sensibility and how she makes her art fair booth fun.What is your design process like, from idea to finished product?I don’t have a specific process. When I have an idea, sometimes I sketch it, but most of the time I sit down with my workshop and explain to them exactly what I have in mind. Over several weeks or months — depending on the type of piece — we go back and forth. … They show me every step of the production so I’m able to change and modify the pieces until they look exactly how I intended! I’ve been working with the same ateliers for many years, so they understand me quite well by now.Having lived in Zurich, Paris, New York, and Geneva, how much does place inform your work, if at all?I would say that places do not inform my work, but the people I meet or the exhibitions I go see do! The only place that really helps me in my creative process is raw nature: I often have ideas while walking my dogs on the beaches of Comporta or in the vineyards of Tuscany, but this does not mean that the idea or design is related to or inspired by the landscape I have in front of me.What does your Swiss identity bring to your perspective as a designer?It means you have access to the very best workshops in the world, especially to the best stone setters — they are used to being extremely precise with watches. Regarding my designs, I would not say they are “Swiss” influenced… I’d even say the contrary, as I like eccentric and fun pieces, and the Swiss are usually a bit more conservative. In that sense I’m more English and do not take myself too seriously!How do you decide which artists to collaborate with?Well, they’re artists that are part of our collection. They are people I know personally and appreciate as outstanding artists.Do you tend to give carte blanche, or is it more of a dialogue?It depends; I think an artist needs to be free to create something powerful, but we also discuss. They share their ideas with me, and a dialogue can be part of the process.Who is someone you would love to collaborate with but haven't yet?Wade Guyton. I’m a huge fan of his work and a lucky collector who owns some of his pieces. I’d love to collaborate with him, but I know he is very busy. Hopefully one day soon…You use unexpected references in your work: Life Savers, tires, bows, fruit, pills… when do you know something unconventional will work well as a piece of jewelry?It comes naturally: I see something and imagine it straight away as a piece of jewelry. Sometimes I wake up at night and have an idea — I always have a little notebook next to my bed to write them down, in case I don’t remember in the morning.How do new technologies impact your design thinking or your production?New technologies have a real impact. Most of the themes in jewelry — nature, architecture, writing, etc. — are the same everywhere and have been for millennia. New technologies and new materials excite me: They allow us to create real pieces for the 21st century. Titanium, aluminum, zirconium, memory titanium wires all provide new ways to create. Large pieces with big stones can now be light and comfortable to wear, in colors that were never possible before! It really gives jewelry new life.What is the impact of attending fairs as a designer?It is an interesting way to promote my work. For one, I invite a Contemporary artist to both re-envision the jewel box as a sculpture and design my booth: this way I bring both passions into one place. I found putting my jewels inside glass cases boring. Most of my collectors are also art collectors, so it is a good time to reunite everyone around one time and place. Design Miami-Basel, PAD London and PAD Geneva are the best fairs for me to show and meet my clients and friends.You’ve decorated the headquarters of Banque Syz; you also make your own olive oil and wine. How do these wide-ranging creative endeavors inform or complement your work as a jewelry designer?I’m a girl of our time. I have always liked to decorate my homes, go to the flea market or auction houses in Paris to find some eccentric pieces. Wine and olive oil is a real passion. I bought that property 12 years ago and had major work done in the vineyards to be able to produce organic wine and oil up to the Demeter Biodynamic Farm Standard. It’s been a long journey, but we did it successfully, with a lot of enthusiasm and great people.You’re an avid art collector yourself. Which art fairs do you think are essential to attend?Personally, I think there are too many art fairs nowadays. The ones that I’ve never missed in 35 years are Art Basel in Switzerland, the Venice Biennale, Frieze in London and FIAC in Paris! For me, these are the most important fairs in the world with the best galleries and artists. I love that week in Basel where I can jump over to Liste, the young artists’ fair. I love to show my collaboration at Design-Miami-Basel in that gorgeous Herzog & de Meuron building. To say nothing of the charms of Venice...What is the most recent addition to your collection?A piece by Cosima von Bonin, an artist I love.Are there any emerging artists you’re especially excited by?Mathieu Malouf. He is young and full of surprises. I love his eclectic spirit and his work. He just had a great retrospective at Le Consortium in Dijon.How have your collection and taste evolved since you started collecting in the ’80s?I have learned a lot. The arrival of art curator Nicolas Trembley in 2008 helped us structure the collection, although the core of how I collect is still the same. He preselects some pieces and then, with my husband Eric, we make the final decision. I like to support young artists and buy pieces from the “now,” the present. We sometime buy historical pieces to complete the collection, but they are usually all Contemporary artists and alive.This column appears in the April 2019 edition of BlouinShop. Subscribe at www.blouinsubscriptions.comhttps://www.blouinartinfo.com/              Founder: Louise Blouin Read more