The first time I met Sebastian was at his graduation at the prestigious IED www.ied.edu in Milan where I was an external member of the Exams Commission.
– Sebastián Plah –
His enthusiasm and the joyful presentation of his creations deeply impressed me and also shed an amazing light on Sebastian’s background and culture. Indeed, he was born in Colombia, in Barranquilla on the Caribbean Coast. Barranquilla is a vibrant city, perhaps best known for its spectacular Carnival, one of the most famous in the world. This colourful and energetic celebration takes place every year, usually in February, and features elaborate parades, traditional dances, various kinds of music and stunning costumes. The Barranquilla Carnival reflects the city’s multi-cultural heritage and belongs to UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
Sebastian affirms: “I was proud to be the King of Carnival in my last year of high school”.
This experience certainly left its mark on him and provoked an explosion of positive energy that fueled his creativity and imagination. In fact, his collections are influenced by his rich Colombian heritage, made of bright colors, exciting and frenetic dances, rhythm and joy. The concept of movement has profoundly influenced Sebastian’s approach to jewelry design. He views it as a symbol of freedom which he strives to convey to his jewelry wearers. Movement, in all its forms, has left an indelible mark on the way Sebastian perceives designing. After all, life is dynamic and in continuous transformation. Also, the magical experience of moving to the beat of music and the surreal enchantment he used to feel at the Carnival, both as a dancer and as an observer at various levels, instilled in him a real feeling of a fantasy coming to life. It put everything into a future perspective of creating his own stories through his jewelry collections, making his dreams come true.
The Guacamaya pieces are an emblem of this art concept, defying gravity through their articulated design. “Guacamaya” is a term used in Spanish to refer to a macaw, a species of parrot known for its vibrant and colorful plumage, strong beak and loud vocalizations.
Guacamaya earrings
Guacamaya necklace
Each piece is a triumph of colors and movement and the shapes are decidedly original, creating a parallel between the creations he abstracted from these dances and the feathers of a macaw; allowing the wearer to feel a sense of freedom and hope. The Cayena earrings take their inspiration from the bright hibiscus flower which is a symbol of the city of Barranquilla in parallel with the Cumbia dance.
Cayena earrings
Another way to call it in Colombia is “Arrebata macho” which means “male seducer”, referring to the fact that Colombian women adorn their hair with hibiscus of different colors to enhance their beauty, thus attracting men. During the Cumbia dance, women make their voluminous skirts swirl and men approach them while dancing without ever touching. It’s like a seductive game made of allusive encouragement and sudden retreat. Another piece from the collection is entitled Cachito that is a diminutive of the horn reminiscent of the one of the bull ¨Torito¨, emblematic carnival character, also being a popular Colombian way to say someone’s cheating on another person. Therefore, these pieces of jewelry evoke through double meaning fun ironies the excitement and the attention of the wearer inviting them to play with the pieces.
Cachito single earring
The collection explores not only the dances and their performers but also its setting with pieces like the Tambora which means drums, a very popular instrument, fundamental in the Caribbean dances famous for their good vibes and powerful energy.
Tambora cuff
All the collections were set in Cartagena (Colombia) aiming at expressing this magical story through a couple’s love story through dance, music, movement, seduction and color.
I asked Sebastian to tell me what’s next: “What comes next is a world of infinite possibilities. This is just the beginning of a brand that will grow with me in its proposals, its maturity and communication:
Its signature is my name: ¨Plah¨, my last name with the characteristic ¨H¨, that I added at the end when I started this path when I was 15 years old. They saw me as crazy at the moment, a kid that was doodling jewelry in his math notebook and was working after classes at jewelry studios in his city to gain experience, but I knew I wanted to mark a before and after in my life: I decided to be that version of myself that I dreamed so much of being and I did it; I’m working hard everyday towards that. Now, I want to impact people’s life through my art: open conversations about topics that are not spoken, help people find their voice, inspire, give encouragement, optimism and self-confidence. I would like someone to wear my jewelry as a form of empowerment.”
“I want to transport the wearer of my pieces to their wildest dreams and freedom to grow and expand. Fantastic scenarios with pragmatical stories where color, fantasy, sparkle and joy are celebrated.”
Enjoy even more @ sebastianplah.com
Article edited by Laura Astrologo Porché
Instagram: @journaldesbijoux
