This December, Belgian designer Stephanie D’heygere brings her conceptual, playful vision to The Standard, Brussels with a limited-edition ornament-turned-earring created exclusively for us. Known for transforming everyday objects into poetic, wearable statements, Stephanie approaches design as both a gesture and a conversation — a way to spark curiosity, confidence, and a subtle sense of mischief.
We sat down with her to talk about objects, identity, and the creative instinct behind turning a decoration into something deeply personal. More than a piece of jewelry, this collaboration shows what happens when functional design meets emotion — and the ordinary becomes unforgettable.
You started in fashion (Margiela, Dior), but over time your world cracked open into these sculptural accessories. What was that moment— that drink, that walk home — when you realized, “Actually, I want to turn small objects into my playground” ?
I’ve always been drawn to the ordinary objects that surround me in daily life. I think the moment everything really clicked was during Covid, when I released a manifesto stating that anything can become an accessory. I invited our Instagram followers to photograph everyday objects and show how, depending on where you place them on your body, they transform into an ephemeral accessory.
If you were choosing a cocktail to represent your design aesthetic, what would it be — and would you drink it neat, on the rocks, or twisted ?
I’m not really a cocktail person — I’m more into shots. And honestly, that probably says everything about my design aesthetic: straight to the point, no fuss.
Your pieces often feel like mini art objects or Duchampian treasures — elegant, conceptual, but deeply wearable. How do you decide whether something is “jewelry” or “object” ?
I love blurring the lines, so there’s really no decision to be made. Some pieces lean toward jewelry, some toward object, but I’m most interested in the space where those categories dissolve and you don’t have to choose.
You once said that your accessories let you “accessorize your accessories.” What’s the weirdest or wildest combination you’ve ever made — or that a customer made — using your modular approach ?
A lot of our pieces are designed to hold a card — hotel keys, credit cards, store cards — and we love taking it further by sliding in fake celebrity ID cards. It’s one of our favorite forms of accessorizing the accessories.
When you look at your career from here — from D’Heygere’s first collection to this collaboration — what feels like the most surprising twist ?
I feel like every collaboration is its own twist, because we always try to propose something new and maybe a little unexpected. That’s what keeps it exciting.
Your work is deeply conceptual, but also very tactile. When guests at The Standard touch or wear your pieces, what do you hope they feel? What do you hope they think ?
I hope they feel like one in a million. For me, the best accessories are the ones that give you confidence and instant good vibes the moment you wear them. If someone feels a little more special, then the piece is doing its job.
You’ve designed interiors, jewelry, accessories. If you could design one more thing for The Standard — what would it be?
I think a restaurant would be a wonderful challenge ;)
All through December, this limited-edition piece captures D’Heygere’s spirit inside The Standard, Brussels — where design meets feeling and ornament becomes keepsake. Whether it’s a detail you wear every day or something you reserve for special moments, this is one to hold onto. Available exclusively at The Standard, Brussels and online at Shop The Standard.
