Harmony of contrast – the creed of Russian jewelry designer German Kabirski

German Kabirski is one of the youngest, yet one of the most enigmatic Russian jewelry brands. People in the industry started talking about Kabirski for the first time at the turn of the millennium, in the year 2000, when the previously-unknown designer took first place at Moscow’s international jewelry show. Kabirski’s catalogs that were made for those early exhibits featured quotes and philosophical reflections of Friedrich Nietzsche. The ideas of self-searching, self-perfection, and the quest for the ideal personal identity troubled the artist. He never wanted to be just another ordinary person from the crowd. It is either black or white, either love or hate, either an oligarch or a homeless person – German Kabirski cannot stand that which is plain and commonplace and does not search for the middle ground, neither in his life, nor in his work. 

His pieces instantly attracted the attention of experts and the people who treasure jewelry with their non-traditional style, and were immediately labeled as avant-garde. 

His rings, necklaces, and chokers (the designer also became famous for his reluctance to do earrings) are totally unlike everything one would find in the Russian jewelry mainstream. One will not find on Kabirski jewelry the usual coquettish, yet uncomplicated twirls in the Russian filigree and skan technique. 

In that sense, German is an internationalist and a globalist. He plays with geometric shapes and uses these forms in building the concept of his brand. He works with materials that many other jewelry designers would view as unworthy of their attention.

Kabirski’s favorite stones are color sapphires and tourmalines. The stones are lively, colorful, and unlike one another. The designer’s most cherished materials to work with are gold, silver, as well as exotic wood, ceramics, and leather. Of course, German Kabirski also does not neglect diamonds, “the girls’ best friends.” Diamonds are presented with all of their beauty and glimmer in many of his works, especially the high-class exclusive pieces. Most of these jewelry items are not even copied. Kabirski really does not like the assembly-line approach. Five to ten copies of an item is probably the limit of what would be acceptable to him. Oftentimes, people would buy Kabirski’s rings without regard to size – as collector’s items. There are entire collectors’ clubs that focus on his works.  

German Kabirski is far from easy to talk to when you have cameras and recorders around. He is very reserved, and his answers are always laconic. He doesn’t like talking about himself, and doesn’t like doing interviews – quite the opposite from what a person wishing to magnify his own image and project it for the public to see would do. He is fully content with the image of the aesthetic marginal person that the Russian media created of him. He does not visit the noisy gatherings of professionals and does not boast about his VIP clients.

Moreover, he purposefully moved away from Moscow to the provincial city of Penza and set up his production facilities there – so that he would be able to create in tranquility. Kabirski does have his own boutique in Moscow called Zolotoi nerv (the Golden Nerve). German Kabirski’s company also has production facilities in Thailand. It is in Thailand that his entire silver line is made. Also, it is there that Kabirski buys all his color stones.

Having production facilities in Thailand gives the designer greater ability to maneuver when shipping products abroad.

Russia’s customs rules and restrictions are not conducive to allowing Russian jewelry brands to enter the world’s markets – it is problematic even to take jewelry pieces out to an exhibit abroad. Still, all exclusive items of German Kabirski are made in Russia.

Every month German designs close to 150 pieces. As a rule, these are seasonal items – Kabirski gets the inspiration for making them from looking at the eternal cycles of nature. They are reflections of his mood, his emotions, and his thoughts at a given instant in time. 

Kabirski likes to experiment and to create new projects. He once expressed a desire to help a talented Georgian enamel craftsman David Chkhidze – that is how the brand of Kabirski & David was born. The new brand instantly got the admiration of clients. A classic design and an ancient technique of Byzantian enamel together with the avant-garde inclinations and a quest for innovation of German Kabirski were the secrets behind the success of the new brand. Kabirski was simply following his unchanging golden rule – the union of unlike things, the harmony of contrast.    

During my last brief stop in Moscow I found some time to go to German Kabirski’s Zolotoi Nerv boutique, which is located in a relatively quite place in the center of the city. I could not leave his store for several hours. The world of German Kabirski is luring and captivating. The aroma of coffee beans that are placed inside the showcases is in the air. It is difficult to turn away from the glimmering jewels. Only a single wish remains – to look and admire the works of German Kabirski, a self-reliant idealist, who still believes that the world can be changed for the better by striving to perfect one’s inner self. Kabirski proves that his dream is possible through his creations.

Contacts in Russia:

3 Tverskaya-Yamskaya st.,

Building no. 7

Moscow, Russia 125047

Tel.: +7 4952516330

Fax: +7 4952516330

germankabirski@yandex.ru

www.zolotoinerv.ru