The Bite Magazine - issue 16

W hen one thinks of all-natural or ‘organic’ accesso- ries, what usually springs to mind are floppy woven beanies made from hemp or long ropes of odd and roughly cut beads gently swaying from the necks and limbs of bohemians… not necessar- ily high-end or luxury. However, if one side-steps that initial crunchy granola stereotype of what ‘all natural’ gener- ally entails, one begins to realise that most jewellery is of course, all-organic. Semi-precious and precious stones, fine pure metals, shells, pearls, horn, bone and wood, all these natural materials are created and hewn by the expert hands of Mother Nature. The lingering question, however, is how are we mere mortals meant to capture these obvious and vis- ceral substances in such a way to adorn our own beautiful bodies? This is the quandary that Belgium designer, Cathe- rine De Groote has taken upon herself to answer. Established in 2006, De Groote began crafting pieces of jewellery for her pri- vately owned accessories company, CATHs, in her Ghent atelier in Belgium. Since its introduction, the company has since quickly grown and acquired a mass following of devoted fans who appreciate and admire her exclusive, unique and diverse creations. As such, De Groote has yet to falter on retain- ing her extreme attention to quality and detail, making sure to always choose and work with only the finest all-natural materials so that each piece reflects her goal of remaining as pure as possible. By working with raw, natural materials like horn, bone and wood, she has been able to create pieces that reflect their own distinct characteristics in new ways. For example, her bone and horn bracelets and pendant necklaces are very simplis- tic in style and design, simultaneously giving them the appearance of some- thing both timeless and utterly modern. This dual action of many of her pieces speaks volumes about her expertise as a designer. “CATHs’ designs express personality and emotion by a blend of tribal and metropolitan aesthetic and the interesting mix of ethnic and urban culture.” De Groote has therefore been able to blend the all-natural with the ever evolving trends of style seamlessly - i.e. her pieces could have been worn by an African tribesman a thousand years ago or a modern fashion blogger from SoHo in New York. Her pieces can seamlessly fit into any lifestyle. That being said, De Groote’s designs logically show her belief in returning to basics in means of traditional artistry. Together with a partner, she has set up a workshop in India where she’s been able to work with several master craftsmen, each of whom has aided in contributing to CATHs goals of, “keeping alive the knowledge and the gifted skills of these talented people.” Each piece of carefully polished, coloured and bent jewellery is therefore created by hand, making each truly one of a kind and individual. By taking the time to be inspired by each of the item’s raw form, she is able “to elevate their natural beauty to a new level of sophistication.” Maison & Objet Paris describes CATHs wears as being,” [De Groote’s] designs are precise and distinctive, reflecting her passion for organic elements and natural materials. Her love for African jewellery, her travels and her readings influenced the colours and the style of her collections over the years. CATHS jewellery expresses personality and emotion by a blend of tribal and metropolitan aesthetics and the interesting mix of ethnic and urban culture. CATHS aims to design lasting treasures at affordable prices.” It is this beyond-impressive attention to detail and the uniqueness of her designs that are what instantly drew me to her booth during a recent trip to the PURE London Event. I had been aimlessly stroll- ing through the epic maze of the trade show, when I remember seeing her long pendant necklaces coquettishly glinting from their perched stand. I began to inquire about the gorgeous shapes and sizes of the pieces before being awe- struck by the long tasselled pieces in a variety of vivid colours that were tucked around the display case. Each piece was perfect - not overly worked or terribly ornate, but rather elegantly simple in their simplicity. Much to my delight, this is exactly the kind of jewellery I collect as I’m a sucker for anything one-of-a-kind, handmade and most importantly, different and well made. CATHs collections feature something dif- ferent in a market that is sadly saturated by quick-fashions that are made even faster and in mass quantities. Bespoke and custom-made are a far reach for many due to their high price tags, but CATHs pieces are surprisingly affordable, which makes them even more perfect. CATHs is a line with passion, to respect and honour nature’s bounty by creat- ing something true diamonds from the rough. These unique pieces are meant to be seen and worn with everything from casualwear to evening dress; their versatility, like their designs, is just that seamless. This distinctive ability is what truly makes this the perfect designer brand to not only follow but collect each and every piece. www.cathsbelgium.com bite jewellery