STORY
Rediscover your surroundings through jewelry
”I started to see the beauty in my everyday life. A feeling I want to share with the world.”
The founder
It was spring 2016 and I was looking for furniture to buy at the auction house Stockholm Auktionsverk’s website. While looking for beautiful objects I saw something called antique school. Stockholm Auktionsverk held a course in Swedish Grace and I got very curious that I went to Stockholm Public Library to borrow a book about this art period. After reading about Swedish 1920s architecture and interior design I felt more at home. I started to see the beauty in my everyday life. A feeling I want to share with the world. The idea emerged.
My name is Lillie Erhardt and I have a background from the fashion industry. Already before entering the fashion industry I knew I wanted to start a fashion brand with a deeper message. After reading about Swedish Grace I got the idea of starting a womenswear brand that takes inspiration from architecture and interior design with the message to rediscover our surroundings. With the love for jewelry it was an obvious choice to start a jewelry brand.
The brand
Siragêr is a jewelry brand that takes inspiration from architecture and interior design. The name Siragêr comes from playing around with the letters of the French name la grâce suédoise which means Swedish Grace. The art period Swedish Grace was a Swedish variant of Art Deco and concerns both architecture and interior design. Some of Siragêr’s jewelry is inspired by the Swedish 1920s art period. Below you will find different Swedish Grace objects.
"Bacchanalia bowl".
Photo taken by Jörgen Ludwigson, Kulturparken Småland.
Lamp from the 1920s. Photo from Hälsinglands Auktionsverk.
Columns at the Concert Hall in Stockholm.
Cast iron urn.
Photo from Näfvekvarns bruk.
Photographer: Unknown.
www.nafvekvarn.com
”Siragêr wants people to rediscover the beauty in their everyday life.”
The message behind Siragêr is that we should rediscover our surroundings and start to look up more. Today many people are looking at their phones and not on the buildings with its beautiful facade decors. Siragêr wants people to rediscover the beauty in their everyday life.
To rediscover our surroundings you will follow a woman called Siragêr and her diary. She sketches down what she sees and her drawings become jewelry that women around the world wear. Siragêr wants people to look up more but also for women to make their own way in the world and become more graceful artsy. By showing the world her graceful artsy life she can inspire women to rediscover their inner beauty as their surroundings. One piece of jewelry at a time.
The Siragêr woman for me - Graceful & Artsy
Someone that has been inspiring me to look up and see the beauty in life since young age is my father’s aunt Greta Erhardt (1905-1995). She was an artist that lived after her own principals. She painted women and studied art in Paris. She loved to dress up and wear big hats. She was at the center of our family parties and loved to spread laughter. She was the typical Siragêr woman for me - graceful and artsy. Her spirit lives within me still.
Greta Erhardt in her home. 1930s. Photo from private family album.
Greta Erhardt drawing. 1936. Photo from private family album.
Greta loved jewelry. She had a unique extravagant style and loved to express herself through her clothes. Her pantings also showed her sense of style. She loved to make portraits of graceful artsy women and to write in her diary. I think she also made sketches for the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm. Some of her notes and sketches are still at the National Library of Sweden. Sometimes I go there to find inspiration and remember her spirit.
Drawing of The Dowager Viscountess Allenby. Greta Erhardt. 1937. National Library of Sweden, HS L319:2020/72.
Drawing of Gladys Reuterskiöld. Greta Erhardt. 1939. National Library of Sweden, HS L319:2020/72.
Drawing of Gunnel Lindgren, dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera. Greta Erhardt. 1950. National Library of Sweden, HS L319:2020/72.
Drawing of Margareta de Seynes. Greta Erhardt. 1939. National Library of Sweden, HS L319:2020/72.
Drawing of Ellen Rasch, dancer at the Royal Swedish Opera. Greta Erhardt. 1950. National Library of Sweden, HS L319:2020/72.
She didn’t only paint women, she also did portraits of men. In her notebook at the National Library of Sweden I found this portrait of Carl Eldh. I also found in an article that Greta says that he was her teacher for many years.
Drawing of Carl Eldh. Greta Erhardt. 1938. National Library of Sweden, HS L319:2020/72.
An article about Greta Erhardt.
Greta Erhardt was featured in many news papers. Below is for example an article in Aftonbladet, year 1933, where she describes her life in Paris. The article shows many sketches made by Greta, for example a self-portrait of herself but also a portrait of Josephine Baker. In another article there is a portrait of Princess Margaretha of Sweden. Greta was a real character in her time and famous for her portraits. She knew how to be graceful and artsy. She always looked up and enjoyed every moment of life. Traits I want women in the world to have.
Greta Erhardt was featured in Aftonbladet, year 1933.
Drawing of Princess Margaretha of Sweden.
"Let’s explore the past to create a more beautiful future."
Siragêr’s journey
To honor my father’s aunt and her spirit I will start the journey of Siragêr’s life in Stockholm. She will show you how to be graceful artsy and see the beauty in our everyday life. Her journey will continue out in the world and together we will rediscover the beautiful architecture and interior design previous designers have created. Let's explore the past to create a more beautiful future.
Best regards,
Lillie Erhardt
Founder of Siragêr