We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Philippe Vergez ("PV").
Philippe Vergez is a designer known for his innovative approach to jewelry and accessories, blending craftsmanship with bold artistic expression. With a background in eyewear and fine jewelry, his work explores the intersection of tradition and modernity. His creations emphasize precision, material research, and symbolic storytelling. Committed to pushing creative boundaries, he develops pieces that challenge conventions while maintaining exceptional quality. His designs have gained recognition for their originality and technical refinement, contributing to contemporary design discourse.
Philippe Vergez Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Philippe Vergez.
Philippe Vergez Design - The Roaring Lion Statement Choker
Designer Interview of Philippe Vergez:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
PV : My path to design was anything but linear, it grew out of necessity, emotion, and curiosity. I was always more drawn to music, but call it fate or accident, I became hearing impaired and could no longer enjoy playing it the same way. So I turned that creative energy toward design. I’ve always loved creating with my hands, shaping surfboards, tweaking skate gear, altering my clothes. Over time, that instinct to make things evolved into a language, a language that can be felt, not heard. Music, memories, and emotions became my compass. VERGEZ was born from that same drive to craft pieces that tell stories and stay with people long after they’ve worn them.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
PV : VERGEZ is a jewelry house. It fuses passion, authenticity, and rebellion with the desire to live freely and truthfully. Every collection begins with a story, inspired by music, people, and the pulse of life. My goal is always to bridge art and craftsmanship, creating designs that carry emotion and meaning.
DI: What is "design" for you?
PV : Design is about emotion. A well-designed piece speaks, it connects. For me, it’s storytelling through form, a dialogue between the creator and the one who wears it. True design feels inevitable, as if it always existed and was just waiting to be revealed.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
PV : I’m drawn to creations that hold a soul, pieces tied to songs, moments, or people. They need to stir something, to make the wearer feel, remind. Music and memory are my main fuels. Collections like With or Without You and Double Trouble carry that rhythm of emotion and nostalgia. My next collection, Amorae, embodies it all, centuries of love and freedom turned into form.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
PV : Each design feels like a chapter of my story, but Amorae holds a special place. It’s inspired by the eternal link between love, freedom, and legacy, by music that moves the soul and by history that shaped who we are. It’s my most personal and complete creation so far.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
PV : A pair of sunglasses. That first design was pure instinct, no plan, just passion and opportunity. But it set the foundation for everything that came after: the blend of creativity and craftsmanship that still defines my work today.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
PV : Always a pen and a sketch pad. That’s where everything starts, raw, honest, human. Digital tools come later, but nothing replaces the intimacy of the first line drawn by hand.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
PV : When the world goes quiet, on a long ride, a walk through Bayonne, my city, or lost in music. Solitude gives space for ideas to breathe. I don’t chase creativity; I let it find me.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
PV : Emotion first. Always. Once I know what the piece must feel like, I think about its shape, texture, and details. Every choice must serve the emotion, not the other way around.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
PV : Fear and pride. Fear, because every creation is a risk, an exposed truth. And pride when it finally breathes and finds its place in the world.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
PV : Fear and pride. Fear, as each design is a leap into the unknown, pushing boundaries and testing limits. There’s always a moment of doubt before the final piece is realized, wondering if it will live up to the vision in my mind. But once the design comes to life, the pride follows. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing something you’ve created resonate with others, knowing that it’s more than just an object, it’s a connection, a story brought to life.
DI: What makes a design successful?
PV : When it connects. When someone feels seen through it. A design succeeds when it stirs something timeless when beauty meets meaning.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
PV : Connection. If it touches someone beyond the surface, if it makes them feel then it’s good design, a piece of art. The rest is secondary.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
PV : The same than any other citizen, minimize our carbon footprint and respect the land which hosts our lives. Sustainability is not a selling point to me, not advertising, it is common sense. I simply create pieces that last, that matter, and that respect both people and the planet. True responsibility lies in intention, making things that are meant to endure, not to fill landfills.
DI: How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?
PV : Real design, as an art is moving toward personalization and honesty. People want stories, not products. The future belongs to authenticity, creations that reflect individuality and purpose rather than trends or marketing noise. I am not considering the use of AI as art, neither AI manipulators as artists.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
PV : I don’t do exhibitions or trade shows yet. My work lives through the people who wear it, not on display stands. My path is about truth, not trends.
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
PV : Music, memories, chaos. Inspiration is everywhere, hidden in a melody, a conversation, a storm, or silence. My mind is never still, and I channel that noise into creation.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
PV : Authentic. Rebellious. Emotional. My style blends rock ’n’ roll energy with refinement, bold yet poetic. Each piece reflects individuality and timelessness, more a story than an accessory. It’s my way of capturing life’s rhythm in metal and stone.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
PV : I live in Bayonne, in the Basque Country, place of fierce freedom and deep roots. Its mix of wild coasts, artistry, and rebellion flows through me. Though my brand operates globally, this land anchors my soul and imagination. I also spend a lot of time in Hong Kong as I lived there for 12 years.
DI: How do you work with companies?
PV : These days, I focus on my own brand and story. When I collaborate, it’s built on trust and respect. Human connection always comes before business.
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
PV : Understand and respect that true designers aren’t driven by profit, we’re driven by vision. Listen to that vision, trust it. The best designers see ahead of you; give them space to create what you can’t yet imagine. Most of the time they are worth what they charge.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
PV : As I mentioned previously, it starts with emotion, a story I want to translate into form. From there, I sketch, refine, and push boundaries until the impossible becomes possible. Each design must feel alive, balanced, and timeless.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
PV : Three paintings, one I co painted with my mother, one from my father, and one from an artist who later found fame. A statue of a man in a yogini pose that reminds me of balance. And my personal ring, a talisman of everything I am.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
PV : Mornings begin with sport, then a bit of work, maybe a ride on my motorcycle or coffee with a friend. Later, I sketch in quiet places or listen to music. Evenings often end by the ocean, with friends, a loved one or alone, watching the sun fall, my way to reset and breathe before tomorrow.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
PV : Design for the soul, not for fame. Stay true to your essence, even when it’s hard. Every failure is a teacher. Patience, humility, and heart will take you farther than any shortcut.
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
PV : The joy is endless creation, the thrill of giving form to emotion. The downside is the constant chase for perfection. But that tension is what makes us grow.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
PV : Design for the soul, not the trend. Authenticity never ages.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
PV : Empathy, imagination, discipline. A designer must listen, feel, and translate. Beyond technique, it’s passion and persistence that define mastery.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
PV : Everything begins with pen and pad. Then come Illustrator, Rhino, and the Adobe suite. For videos, Final Cut Pro and After Effects. And always nearby, On the Road by Jack Kerouac, reminding me to keep exploring.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
PV : I don’t force it. Each piece takes the time it needs. I’d rather wait for perfection than rush beauty.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
PV : It depends, some ideas arrive like lightning, others take years. I stop only when it feels complete, not when the clock says so.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
PV : “What inspires you?” Always the same, and yet I love it, because inspiration is the story behind every piece I make.
DI: What was your most important job experience?
PV : The hardest ones. Failures taught me more than success ever could. Each fall reshaped my path and refined my craft.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
PV : Today, I work only for myself and my art. In the past, I collaborated with great names and creatives, but now my focus is on building something truly mine.
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
PV : Jewelry and eyewear, they’re closest to my DNA. I love their intimacy and precision. Still, I enjoy challenges that take me beyond my comfort zone.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
PV : To keep creating with joy, expanding the VERGEZ story with authenticity. My dream is to see the brand stand among the greats while staying true to its roots.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
PV : I design alone but collaborate with my partner, Evgeny Sukhov, a master jeweler and gemologist. He gives technical life to my designs and ideas, often the impossible ones.
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
PV : Yes, several. Amorae is my main focus, a collection born from freedom, love, and legacy. It’s unfolding day by day.
DI: How can people contact you?
PV : By email at info@vergez.art, or through Instagram @v_e_r_g_e_z. You can also book a video chat on www.vergez.art/book-online.
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
PV : Design isn’t just creation, it’s communion, a bridge between stories and the wearer’s. That connection, that emotion, is why I do what I do. Looking back, I realize design has always been my way of understanding life, a journey of freedom, love, and elevation. I chase perfection but above all I chase truth. And in that search, I find beauty every time.