Women of Note - Claire Lamouroux

Platform 13 CEO Vanessa Grant sits down with the a local artisan who shares her story of creativity and community.

In a sun-washed workshop on Rue Notre-Dame, in the beautiful bastide village of Monpazier, jewellery designer and maker Claire Lamouroux shapes stories from natural materials. Her boutique, Semilla (“seed” in Spanish), is shared with her partner Jean-Luc Pigeat — together they create wonderful, original jewelley pieces that feel both ancient and utterly present.

Platform 13: "Tell us about the origins of Semilla — where did the story begin"?

Claire: Semilla began as a seed — quite literally. I’d spent years in the city, working in houses and home design, but I missed the rhythm of making with my hands. When we moved to Monpazier, I felt something shift. The pace here encourages attention — to light, texture, the sound of tools. I wanted to create objects that hold that sense of slowness and honesty.

Platform 13: "Why Monpazier"?

Claire: It’s one of those rare places where beauty and simplicity coexist. The geometry of the bastide streets, the sandstone walls, the surrounding fields — it all seeps into the work. There’s also a wonderful community of craftspeople here. The variety of skills in this village is overwhelming; we share ideas over coffee, trade off-cuts, sometimes just silence. It’s so grounding.

Platform 13: "I would love to know more about your process. Describe it to me."

Claire: Everything begins with touch. I work mainly with exotic seed pods from India and South America, some from Costa Rica and Panama - aslo natural fibres, bits of polished stone and ceramics, leather and string, silver and brass - Jean-Luc focuses more on structure and drawing and form; I focus on tactile surfaces and detail. Nothing is mass-produced — each piece asks for its own rhythm. Some days I finish five, others I give up on three. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s presence.

Platform 13: "How do you hold space for slow, handmade work in a culture that glorifies speed and instant gratification."?

Claire: Ha! That's true. I have customers that come in and ask for a piece in the morning and when they ask "when I will finish"..?, they look at their watch... Making by hand is an act of resistance and of hope. It’s slower, more demanding, but it creates connection — between maker, materials and wearer. I think people are craving something that asks to be held, not just bought.

Platform 13: "What do you hope people experience when they visit Semilla"?

Claire: Calm. Curiosity. Maybe a little wonder. We designed the shop like a small gallery — light, quiet, a place where the sense of touch is celebrated, and also space to breathe. I want people to feel invited, not sold to. Even if they leave empty-handed, they’ve had a moment of pause, and that’s valuable.

Platform 13: "What keeps you inspired"?

Claire: The seasons. The imperfections. The way light falls on a workbench as the sun goes down. I also find inspiration in visitors — hearing their stories, seeing what they’re drawn to. It reminds me that creativity is a shared language.

Platform 13: "How do you rest or replenish creativity"?

Claire: We close the shop in winter and travel a little, or simply stay home and cook. Jean-Luc is the better cook — I just gather ingredients. That quiet time allows ideas to germinate again. It’s like letting the fields lie fallow; rest is part of the process.

Platform 13: "What’s next for Semilla"?

Claire: We’d like to develop a small residency program — inviting other artisans to spend a week here, exchange ideas, maybe teach. Sharing the space feels like the natural next step. After all, Semilla means “seed”; things are meant to grow...

In Claire’s hands, creation begins the way all meaningful things do — with a seed. Semilla is more than a shop; it’s a living reminder that beauty grows from attention, care, and the courage to begin again. At Platform 13, and through our Brave Seeds JournL, we celebrate this same philosophy: that small acts, tended with heart, can take root and transform the landscape not only around us, but within us.