About Greyfitti
The berber’s roots of the designer
GREYFITTI was created in 2010 by Lineda Sahi.
Born & raised in France to parents of Algerian/Amazigh* descent, her berber’s roots emanate in most of her pieces of jewellery that are handmade and handcrafted in her Amsterdam atelier. Passionate about jewellery and gems from an early age, Lineda’s inspiration came indeed from her childhood while surrounded by a women community always adorned with the most beautiful jewels like a village bride. This is with no surprise that the collections for HER hold women’s Berber names such as Feriel, Hallu, Eya, Wellen etc…
Her predilection material is recycled 18k solid gold but she also works with 14k solid gold. She does not use casting and create each piece from beginning to end as if it were a mini sculpture, therefore two pieces are never alike. Being very sensitive to environmental issues, she uses recycled gold and silver with conflict-free precious stones whenever possible and reshape forgotten family jewellery in a contemporary style.
THE BIRTH OF GREYFITTI
An exclusive contemporary fine jewellery brand
“When I was young, during the local weddings in my hometown, I had never seen so much gold gathered in a small space like a flat or a party hall. The yellow glow of the gold, its shapes and especially the snake-shaped bracelets – symbol of fecundity and immortality, the work of chasing, repoussé or filigree, everything fascinated me in this wedding setting worth the myth of Cleopatra. Gold has imprinted in my mind and followed me throughout my life. Later during my degree in materials processing and surface treatment (Lyon & Paris – France), then during an internship at Bertin & Aubert, the only gilder in Paris intramuros. Simultaneously, my thirst for knowledge has led me with a number of interesting roles across several diverse sectors while following a course as jeweller at the Vakschool Schoonhoven in the Netherlands.
Her inspiration
Also during my various stays in the area of Lyon, I followed training courses at the Ateliers & Conservatoire des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France. All these different experiences & learnings had shaped me the way I make jewellery together with my love for nature & architecture. I am lucky to live in the Netherlands where nature is everywhere and very accessible : the sea, the beaches of Zeeland, the Brabant Sahara, the hills of Limburg, the particular flora and fauna etc are deeply inspiring to me. My aim is to design timeless pieces – inspired by all these different places or people – that you want to keep and eventually pass on to someone you love or care about.
Greyfitti in the Press
*Berber populations (Imazighen) are scattered in different states: Algeria, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Mauritania, northern Senegal, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. To which should be added the countries where the diaspora lives, notably in France, Belgium, Germany. It is under the name “Berbers” (which comes from the barbarian word) that these communities are designated from the 7th century onwards, but they prefer the use of the term Imazighen, which means free men, to designate them. These populations share a common language, Tamazight (or Berber), which is used in an area of almost 5 million km2 that includes Africa and also historically the Canary Islands.