Initially, it was just a discreet collaboration between a committed London fashion house and a Parisian designer accustomed to quiet workshops. But the story took a turn when the project crossed paths with Sarah Jessica Parker. The American star, Manhattan's ultimate muse, took Ylana Azoulay on an unexpected adventure, culminating in a photo shoot at the top of New York, where the designer saw her jewellery come to life on the icon who has shaped the fashion imagination of two generations.

From a Parisian in the shadows to a collaboration that changed her career

For more than fifteen years, Ylana Azoulay has been designing jewellery in the most demanding tradition of French jewellery. A discreet, technical career, shaped by renowned houses. A graduate of the École de la Bijouterie Joaillerie du Louvre, Ylana is a freelance designer. Nothing prepared her for what Nathalie Morrison, founder of Astrea London, had in store for her. The brand wanted to create a contemporary collection driven by a new, responsible vision. Ylana accepted, little knowing that this project would take her to New York and, even less, to a global superstar. Sarah Jessica Parker joined the creative team. For Ylana, it was a complete surprise. However, the collaboration was anything but superficial. The actress is genuinely involved, exploring materials and questioning the volumes of the collection with unexpected precision. A dialogue develops between Paris and Manhattan, as if the two worlds had always been meant to meet.

Sarah Jessica Parker, the creative energy that reinvents the collection

When Ylana arrived in New York for the shoot, everything took on a new dimension. The setting was spectacular, bathed in the skyline. At the centre of the stage is Sarah Jessica Parker, wearing the pieces designed by the creator. For Ylana, the moment is almost surreal. She, who usually works behind the scenes, suddenly sees her expertise projected into the global spotlight. Sarah Jessica Parker's gestures, Nathalie Morrison's artistic direction, the verticality of Manhattan, all combine to transform a collection into a decisive moment.

The resulting collection embodies the modernity of Astrea London, the Parisian finesse of Ylana and the narrative sensibility of Sarah Jessica Parker. Lab-grown diamonds reinforce a more conscious vision of jewellery. The trio has given birth to a more contemporary line. A rare story, born of an unexpected encounter and sealed at altitude, facing the New York skyline.

Translated by Bethszabee Garner