subject: Lou Guerin Jewelry & The Brand's Famous Founder. [print this page] This discussion charts the reader through the past of the label brand and its meteoric rise to the apex of the gothic jewelry world.
The Primitive-Futurist
Lou Guerin comes from Brittany, the Celtic part of France. He began exploring the world at age seventeen. Three short years after the start of his adventure, he began crafting leather in Paris, making fashionable belts. He then traveled to Mexico, where he learned well preserved Huarache Indian braiding skills. He then modified these techniques in Ibiza, Spain, where for 8 years he was immersed in a creative climate of leather crafting the Spanish way.
The next port of call was the quiet town of Chefchouene on the outskirts of the Rif mountains in Morocco. It was here that Lou learnt and preserved the ancient ways of Arabic shoe making, at a time when the ancient craft was being destroyed by unremarkable industrial footwear. For 13 years, he produced boots, sandals, bags, and belts. His workshop expanded in magnitude to include 35 hand-tooling leather workers & over a hundred apprentice toolers.
Post- Morocco, Lou spent six more years in NZ shaping custom boots using new techniques. At the turn of the millennium, He moved to Bali, where he began his love affair with the world of gothic jewelry. Today, his brand sits atop the top of the gothic world alongside Chrome Hearts jewelry, Bill Wall Leather jewelry and other established luxury labels.
Why replicas, fakes & Lou Guerin inspired jewelry is rising in popularity
In recent times, his brand has faced challenges in the form of several offshore competitors with the talent, resources & ability to deliver equally detailed, gorgeous and well-crafted luxury gothic styled silver jewelry to bikers & other fans at a fraction of Lou Guerin jewelry prices. Today, fans have easy and affordable access to a wide range of alternatives to original jewelry. Fans are starting to wise up to the reality of branding, which is really nothing more than an imaginary concept.
For a comprehensive documentary of fakes and replicas, the writeup at the Skull Pendant page will be very useful and informative.
