Gifts at Fleur d’ Orléans
Fleur d’ Orléans is a shop filled with New Orleans-inspired treasures, including jewelry, textile accessories, scarves, table linens, handmade paper items, crystal ware and more.
Owners, husband-and-wife team Jann Fenner and Thomas Laird, had spent several decades living in Asia, where they befriended local craftswomen and artists. They set off to make their home in New Orleans in 2002 and remained in close contact with their friends across the globe.
“We started designing silver jewelry and hand-painted silks based on the architectural details of the city, using our same craftspeople. We work with old friends and fine craftspeople in Nepal and Thailand; none of our products are produced China,” says Laird.
In 2003 they opened their first retail shop, in Riverwalk Mall; shortly after, they opened what is now the flagship shop on Magazine Street.
“We celebrate the architecture and heritage of the city of New Orleans, providing clients with great products and customer service,” says Laird. He explains the detailed process that goes into making a piece of jewelry: “We photograph hundreds of architectural details, from cast-iron balustrades in the French Quarter to the old wooden decorative brackets on shotgun homes Uptown.” Inspired by the details, they set out to create new designs that are based on what they’ve photographed.
With an expansive selection of sterling silver fleur-de-lis jewelry, Fleur d’ Orléans also has a large collection of “non-fleur” jewelry, says Laird. One can also find jewelry inspired by the Beaux Arts period architectural details in New Orleans, Paris, New York, Louisville and elsewhere. This fall, Fleur d’ Orleans will also debut a new line in silver. “We have a new ring inspired by a French Royal Signet ring we found in the Louvre,” says Laird, “along with some new cuff links, a Gothic fleur from a building on St. Charles Avenue and Christmas decorations which will be here for Art for Art’s Sake on Oct. 2.”
Information, 899-5585; 3701 A Magazine St.; Riverwalk Mall, Second Floor; www.fleurdorleans.com.
