Have you ever just walked into a shop and stopped in awe because eclectic beauty was dripping from everywhere you looked? That was my reaction walking into the Rubanesque Pop-Up Shop in July in Lacoste. Lacoste, a small artsy village in the Luberon region of Southeastern France, is home to Ruth Ribeaucourt, creative mastermind behind her "artisan antique French silk Jacquard ribbon jewelry." Ruth started making jewelry when she moved to France from Ireland. Her family, the Faure family of St. Etienne, had an acclaimed silk factory, Les Freres Faure (now Julien Faure) in the 1800s and 1900s, which became the inspiration for her jewelry after she got a plethora of 120-year-old (and older!) antique silk ribbons from her husband's family as an engagement gift. Full of antique and vintage motifs, Ruth uses these ornate fabric echantillons, passementerie trims, and ribbons in her jewelry to create one-of-a-kind, glamorous standout pieces. Decorated in rich gold thread and stitching, Swarovski crystals and luxurious vintage and antique beads, her eye-catching jewelry has been featured in Design Sponge, Cosmopolitan, and her silk fabrics and ribbons sought after by Vogue editors and designers.
Ruth welcomed us wholeheartedly into her shop and elaborated on the history behind her miniature masterpieces. Her pop-up shop, while temporary, was an inviting space filled with color, sparkle, beautiful antique photo displays, and her hospitable nature. Please visit her Etsy shop to buy your lovely and unique piece of jewelry or look for her sparkles in Anthropologie later this year! Thank you so much for allowing me to photograph and feature your unbelievable creativity, Ruth! It was truly a pleasure meeting you!