Exclusively retailing in Janina for Jul Dizon, Francis de Lara’s first trunk show in Manila presents the world’s only fine jewellery-eyewear—and the pieces are stunning, bold, provocative.
A curious energy filled the room of Janina for Jul Dizon, Janina Dizon’s boutique at The Peninsula Manila, as guests arrived for the first Francis de Lara trunk show in Manila. Founded by half-Filipino creative director John-Paul Francis de Lara Pietrus, it is the world’s first fine jewellery-eyewear brand. Janina and John-Paul warmly welcomed us, and our curiosity turned into fascination as he walked us through the Francis de Lara collection, exclusively retailing in the Philippines for a limited time at Janina for Jul Dizon.
John-Paul Francis de Lara Pietrus, the creative director and founder of Francis de Lara High Jewellery-Eyewear wears The Pentagons with Red Garnet Teardrop; Deep Sea Rings in 18-karat gold (Sugar Loaf Cabochon (top) and Organic Square Cabochon (bottom) giving a buried relic look) / Photo by Oxana Korsun, taken in Morocco
Luxury Reimagined With High Jewellery-Eyewear
The concept was born while John-Paul studied jewellery design in Metallo Nobile. During his visits to Palazzo Pitti or the Uffizi, Renaissance art inspired him to ask: “What kind of sunglasses would they have worn if they had them?”
The debut collection, “Ribbons and Serpents,” features pieces from ethically sourced materials including 18 karat gold, sterling silver, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, amethysts, garnets, tourmaline and kunzite, as well as accents of precious ebony. With only 12 pieces per style, no two are ever the same, ensuring that each is one-of-a-kind. For a more accessible option, the FDL Editions line presents hand-finished eyewear with the same thoughtfulness and artistry. The brand has expanded to include rings, earrings, and necklaces, maintaining the same meticulous craftsmanship.
Top: My Bleeding Heart with with a Sacred Heart dripping tears of icy aquamarine, and orange and yellow sapphires; and Eve with dangling juicy tourmaline apple / Bottom: Tuxedo with emerald teardrop; Supersize Aviators with claret-red garnet teardrop; The Pentagons with lime green peridot teardrop
“As you know, I’m half-Filipino and I do like to try and come here every year to see my cousins and my relatives, and of course my friends,” John-Paul shares.
He elaborates, “Janina and I became acquainted with one another in the middle of last year—last summer, and she had a very successful run of selling my eyewear and so I spoke to her about having a trunk show. I spoke to her in October and we decided that now would be a good time. You know it makes great Valentine’s gifts, etc. etc., summer is on the way, although it’s always summer in the Philippines and it’s always time for sunglasses. And to be honest you can also have sunglasses in the winter because it’s sunny and it sparkles off the snow.”
The Adam & Eve Earrings and Safari Sunset Bloom Ring
Janina adds, “JP was planning a trip to Manila and asked me if a trunk show would be a good idea since the sunglasses have sold out, I eagerly said yes as I think his sunglasses are a perfect match to my jewelry.”
Francis de Lara And Janina Dizon: A Shared Love Of Jewelry
John-Paul says that what excites him about working with Janina on this trunk show is how she’s very appreciative of his work, and how he is very appreciative of her work as well. “We obviously share a love of jewelry, because I approach my eyewear from a jewelry perspective, which is very important. So we both have a love and a passion for jewelry because I also create jewelry as you saw–not just eyewear–although I consider it jewelry eyewear.”
Further to this, John-Paul reveals how he thinks “Janina is actually a lovely, nice, good person.” “I hope that I am too. I try to be. We just really hit it off right away as soon as we started communicating. So that’s what excites me about it, we have shared interests, shared passions, and that we get along as friends. She’s become a friend.”
Janina Dizon wearing The Pentagons with garnet teardrop
Janina enthuses that she has each and every style of his design. “I love the supersize aviators as it is quite dramatic and suits well for city life. The snake eyes I used for the beach as they are acrylic and easier to just put in a beach bag and go. I’m loving the pentagons and Jupiter sizes as it has a gold lens that he has just come up with. I am truly a fan.”
Crafting Rare Luxury
John-Paul gives us a deeper look into the collection, and why it is so luxurious. “First of all I think there’s the obvious use of luxury materials, precious materials. So in the jewelry I have things from 18 karat gold to diamonds to sapphires and all sorts of colored gem stones. I have precious woods including Mahogany, including Ebony. The fact that all the high jewellery and high artpiece eyewear was made by hand and certain pieces such as ‘Eve’ took over 1,000 hours to make, and our one-off pieces, Eve eyewear that is, or pieces like the ‘Three Serpents’ eyewear took over 800 hours to make by hand. And they are one-off, unique pieces, that is in itself, luxury.”
He emphasized that even the FDL Editions, the more accessible line, are still made with gold-plated titanium—and titanium is still considered to be a fine jewellery material, which is deployed by fine and high jewellers.
FDL Editions Supersize Aviators / Designer case multi-functions as chic shoulder bag made from piñatex sustainable vegan eco-friendly, durable pineapple fibre mock-crocodile leather, finished with beautiful hardware and a satisfyingly chunky metal shoulder chain
“Many, many high jewellers have been using titanium as a new fine jewelry experiment so it’s great to use that in the eyewear because it still maintains a fine jewellery genetics. And you further that with 18 karat gold plating, a diamond on the side, and then a colored gem stone teardrop in the front.” Furthermore, he has incorporated Florentine engraving techniques such as the Rigato technique to resemble a grosgrain ribbon, and Telato technique to resemble linen texture.
John-Paul explains that while these are the more everyday, accessible and more affordable pieces, they are still limited editions. “So for example, the Pentagons and Supersize Aviators are limited to 300 per gem stone and lens combination. The Jupiters are limited to 100 per gem stone lens combination. And then the Tuxedos are limited to just 12 per gem stone and lens combination.”
Apart from their rarity, John-Paul clarifies, “And you know we set the stones by hand in London—and that’s part of luxury. They come with a little card saying what number you got of the edition.”
Supersize Aviators, The Pentagons, Three Serpents
He narrates how they also come in a luxury hand bag case which is made of piñatex, a biodegradable pineapple based pu (vegan leather) which was actually developed by a Filipina. “So I’m very happy about that fact and proud to be using a material which was invented by a Filipina.”
Speaking of luxury—we asked John-Paul what luxury means to him. He shares that the general spirit for him is that “luxury is time.” “And health—good health, and love, and having time to spend with loved ones who are in good health. From this day and age, time is really a luxury, and peace of mind and calmness.”
Beyond that in a material sense, however, John-Paul says that “luxury is something which is handmade and or limited edition or single one-off pieces that’s been made by someone who loves what they’re doing and puts their passion and their heart and soul into the piece that they make. I try to do that with my Francis de Lara pieces and I hope that people can feel that.”
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CADRE: Baroque and Rococo Inspired
Back-to-back with the Francis de Lara collection in Janina by Jul Dizon is Janina’s latest collection, CADRE.
Janina shares that this collection was born out of her admiration for Baroque and Rococo influences through their ornate design and intricacy.
Pendant with brooch cadre and diamonds 0.12cts in 14k white gold with white blue enamel
“Inspired by Vienna, they feature swirling motifs reminiscent of classic European architecture, with delicate curls and flourishes that echo Baroque opulence,” shares Janina.
Hand pendant with Ethiopian opal cabochon 0.28cts in yellow silver with diamonds 0.01cts; Hand pendant with silver 1.32cts tourmaline lagoon and white sapphires 0.02cts
She elaborates, “The vibrant enamel work, in soft blue and white hues, brings to mind Wedgwood porcelain, adding a refined touch of elegance.”
Brooch baroque cadre rectangular with blue enamel silver plated in yellow gold pin; Hand pendant in yellow gold silver with green emerald 2.78cts and diamonds 0.13cts; Brooch cadre with one pearl in 14k yellow gold
Adorned with diamonds, each piece is carefully crafted to evoke the grandeur of historical art and architecture, while the addition of a drop gemstone adds a timeless sophistication to the collection.
You can view both collections at Janina by Jul Dizon in The Peninsula Manila. The Francis de Lara trunk show runs until February 8, 2025.
Banner photo courtesy of Francis de Lara.
