What Inspired Monsieur Fred’s Ideal Light? Valerie Samuel Tells All

Jewellery is more than personal for FRED’s artistic director and vice-president Valerie Samuel, it’s in her blood. After all, she is the successor to Fred Samuel, who made a mark as a daring designer with an infectious spirit that transcended his lifetime.  

“When my grandfather established himself in 1936, he was 28 years old and signed his business card with ‘the modern jeweller’,” the artistic director tells us. “That was his vision and this is what we strive for today—crafting bold, statement pieces and infusing them with emotion and joy of life.” 

Samuel achieved that with the Monsieur Fred Ideal Light high jewellery collection, inspired by her grandfather’s childhood in Argentina. The collection was recently presented at a gala in Seoul, with global brand ambassador Jin of BTS in attendance. 

Related article: BTS’ Jin, Lee Sung Kyung And All The Stars Who Dazzled At The Monsieur Fred Ideal Light Gala In Seoul

“I was very close to my grandfather. I lived with him, I was with him till his very last breath so I wouldn’t say I discovered something about him. I rediscovered things such as a photo of him at eight years old at Mar del Plata or a style from the ’40s or ’50s in our archives,” intimates Samuel on the creative process. 

That photo of her grandfather, now residing in the pages of Samuel’s sketchbook, was a catalyst for the Endless Horizon creations, along with Fred’s love for sailing. The set championed the Maison’s iconic cable motif in twisted white gold cords and carved lapis lazuli and rock crystal.

Related article: The Latest And Most Talked About Jewellery Collections

The Blazing Audacity suite, denoted by fiery red spinels, rubellites, and spessartite garnets, draws from the vibrant district of La Boca. This is also the birthplace of the tango, which is represented by a toi et moi ring featuring a geometric masterpiece of mosaic-set baguette gems and brilliant-cut diamonds. 

The Bright Vitality set also references an iconic spot in Buenos Aires—the lush botanic gardens of Palermo. Palm fronds are rendered in white gold with articulated leaves on the necklaces featuring brilliant-cut white diamonds on one side and baguettes on the other for a graphic finish while near-identical emeralds from the Muzo mines of Colombia provide the deep green hue.

“The amazing thing about high jewellery is that we can push the boundaries of craftsmanship and innovation; the sky’s the limit. We can blend traditional techniques with evolving technology to transform a 2D drawing into an actual piece,” said Samuel.

The Exalting Joy tie necklace, which can be split into three separate pieces, is a testament of the maison’s design DNA while marrying a new, proprietary gemstone with mesmerising shades of blue created in-house named “Opalazur”. 

“This exclusive stone is a doublet of turquoise and white opal, which lends its green and orange fire. It was one of the most exceptional challenges of this collection because we had to find the right combinations and we had a lot of breakages,” says Samuel.

Related article: The Best New Watches At Watches And Wonders 2025

There’s no denying that the Monsieur Fred Ideal Light high jewellery collection is Samuel’s ultimate love letter. It not only encapsulates her grandfather’s dauntless approach to design with the modernity we expect from jewellery of today, it is also what the artistic director hopes to carry into the Maison’s centennial in the coming decade. 

“My first dream is to reflect the unique personality and vision of my grandfather. My second is to innovate pieces that will bring joy and sunshine into everyone’s life.”