Paula Doebrich, the Polish-born former model, has taken her career from the catwalk to building a prestigious jewelry brand, Meluzza. With her latest collaboration arriving in St Barth, she finds time to tell us just how.

From the runway to the alchemy of fine jewelry, Paula Doebrich&rsquo;s path is anything but linear. With Meluzza, she fuses mythology, memory and personal power into pieces that feel both ancient and radically modern. In this conversation, she reflects on reinvention, feminine symbolism and designing jewelry as a form of storytelling, rather than just decoration.
L&rsquo;OFFICIEL: Your journey from international model to clinical dietitian and now jewelry designer is truly fascinating. What inner calling or moment led you to make that creative leap and launch Meluzza?
PAULA DOEBRICH: A lot of my past pursuits were opportunities I just wanted to explore, but jewelry design is the first career I intentionally chose. I started modeling extremely young and when I realized it wasn&rsquo;t fulfilling to me, I looked for a way out. Going back to school was a good way to leave the world of fashion behind. It was an escape route rather than a mindful pursuit of what I loved. Once I finished my master&rsquo;s degree and started working in my job full-time, I was able to stop chasing the next milestones. I finally had time to focus on myself and explore my passions. I first approached jewelry from a collector&rsquo;s perspective, trying to learn as much as I could about the objects I loved. What fascinated me most were gemstones, but I also learned about the history of jewelry, becoming more interested in how it&rsquo;s made. I learned how to articulate my ideas through drawings. I realized that I always had creativity in me, but it had been buried under a mountain of expectations. Designing jewelry had seemed like one of the most abstract career choices but now I know it is where I belong.

L&rsquo;O: Meluzza blends two mythological figures &mdash; Melusine and Medusa &mdash; each rich with symbolism. How did these stories shape your vision for the brand and the kind of woman you design for?
PD: Melusine &mdash; a mermaid &mdash; symbolizes the city of Warsaw where I grew up. It is a city with a rich history. The mermaid stands for refusing to be defeated, fighting relentlessly for what you love. Medusa, on the other hand, is believed to be the protector of women&rsquo;s secrets. She represents feminine power and rage. She is believed to ward off evil by acting like an evil eye. Blended together, these two creatures are meant to represent strong women and reflect my story of taking back my power.
L&rsquo;O: You&rsquo;ve spoken about wanting to &ldquo;bring back the magic&rdquo; of jewelry. What does that magic mean to you personally &mdash; and how do you translate it into a modern piece?
PD: I think that jewelry lost some of its magic when the industry started to repeat the same playbooks and designs. But, in my opinion, jewelry is never just an accessory. It is how we express who we are, and it carries a deeper meaning. The pieces we choose are often connected to a memory of the people we love, or the places we visit. Jewelry is what will remain after we are long gone to tell our stories, so I hope I can help people share how interesting they are. It is the materials used to create jewelry that make it magical for me. Gemstones are a miracle of nature: so many elements have to interplay perfectly to produce a gem-quality mineral. Coming straight from Earth&rsquo;s core, they carry our planet&rsquo;s history inside them. The way we can dig up a rock in the dirt and, with enough know-how,&nbsp; turn it into a treasure is fascinating to me. Gold not only gives jewels their shape and structure; it is also an element that originates from the stars, which makes jewelry truly magical. I want to create pieces that can be carried on for generations, and that showcase natural materials. They are meant to feel modern regardless of when and where they are worn, which is why I blend classic elements with fresh ideas.

Designing JEWELRY SEEMED like an abstract DREAM. NOW IT&rsquo;S WHERE I BELONG

L&rsquo;O: Many of your designs reflect strength and vulnerability intertwined. How do you find that balance between boldness and delicacy in your creative process?
PD: Jewelry itself represents a balance of vulnerability and strength. It is made from some of the strongest materials that have been polished and bent into shapes that seem weightless. It also carries deep meanings in objects that we can feel and touch, making bold statements with no words. The vulnerable part of creating jewelry is sharing deeply personal memories and feelings with the world through my designs. Boldness lies in being confident to execute ideas, even when people think it&rsquo;s impossible. Stepping into the jewelry industry without a background in design was a bold move. I had to learn how to ask for help and often admit that I didn&rsquo;t know what I was doing. This openness allowed me to find people who helped guide me to make my vision a reality.
L&rsquo;O: Meluzza celebrates jewelry as an expression of self rather than an accessory. How do you hope women feel when they wear your pieces?
PD: I want women to feel confident in embracing their creative side. So much of what we wear today is calculated and meant to look a certain way, but with jewelry you can always play. It allows us to make a statement, even in the most formal setting. I often think back to my modeling days, where I was required to wear a black top with black pants to castings, blending in with every other girl. I would put on a chunky pair of earrings or a necklace and feel more like myself again. These small accents helped me infuse my personality into an otherwise bland look. With my jewelry, I want to create pieces that help you express how interesting and unique you are without having to make a huge effort.

L&rsquo;O: You come from Warsaw, a city steeped in history and symbolism. How does your Polish heritage continue to influence your storytelling and design language?
PD: Polish culture is colorful. A lot of it is rooted in Slavic mythology, which is why I am often drawn to the mystical. &nbsp;The culture influenced who I am and today I feel most at home when I go back to Warsaw. Shaped by a relentless fight to maintain its identity, Warsaw is inspiring to me, which is why I chose the mermaid to represent Meluzza. Many of my pieces are inspired by memories that are connected to specific Polish traditions or customs. However, my upbringing was far from traditional. My parents were proud to be part of a new, open Europe after the Iron Curtain fell, and I embraced the exploration of different cultures. This led me to live in many different countries across the globe, and my design language is inspired by the many cultures I became part of while exploring the world and finding a home for myself.&nbsp;

I refuse TO LOSE THE ROMANTIC SIDE OF jewelry in the PURSUIT of BUILDING a business.

L&rsquo;O: Before creating Meluzza, you worked in public health &mdash; a field rooted in science and empathy. Do you find any parallels between that work and the emotional connection you build through jewelry?
PD: In order to help people share their stories, you need to understand their story. Coming from a background that is rooted in empathizing with people, it makes it easier. With custom pieces I have to sit down with each person and get to know them, which allows me to infuse personal elements into their pieces.
L&rsquo;O: The jewelry market today can feel crowded and commercial. What do you think distinguishes Meluzza from other contemporary jewelry brands?
PD: I refuse to lose the romantic side of jewelry in the pursuit of building a business. The hands-on elements are what make the brand unique: I am committed to sourcing all gems myself, producing at my local New York City workshop, and designing jewelry that may not be fit for mass production but always means something.

L&rsquo;O: Your pieces are described as &ldquo;instant heirlooms.&rdquo; What does that concept mean to you &mdash; and how do you design something that feels timeless from the very beginning?
PD: The ones that have meaning to you and that you might hand down to your children are what I consider heirloom pieces &mdash; those with a story behind them. I find inspiration in creating that unexpected moment. Most people can relate to the joy of eating ice cream on a hot summer day, or the magic&nbsp; you find while gazing at the stars. By creating pieces that can feel personal, yet are also lighthearted, I want to create timeless designs that people want to cherish.
L&rsquo;O: Mythology often speaks about transformation. How has founding Meluzza transformed you personally?
PD: With Meluzza I went from telling my friends that I would love to design jewelry in another life to making jewelry design my reality. I didn&rsquo;t think I could draw and believed I lacked artistic talent. But once I tried, I learned how to put ideas to paper, proving anything is possible when you are passionate about it. Jewelry helped me reconnect with myself on a deeper level.

L&rsquo;O: If Meluzza were a woman &mdash; with all her complexity, emotion, and strength &mdash; how would you describe her?
PD: Fearless, confident, playful, unafraid to embrace her femininity, and never blending in with a crowd. She always has a witty comment, her humor is unparalleled, you can talk to her about anything &mdash; and she never says no to a new adventure.
L&rsquo;O: Looking ahead, what&rsquo;s next for Meluzza? Are there new materials, collaborations, or narratives you&rsquo;re excited to explore?
PD: The next Meluzza pieces will feature new materials, including lapis lazuli and platinum. I am also looking to add more large statement pieces to the collection. I am very excited to finally share it with the world. The journey began by being told the execution was impossible, then working with a team of designers, gem cutters, jewelers, and supportive friends to make the piece a reality. Anything can be done if you really want it!
L&rsquo;O: Meluzza will be available exclusively at Eden Rock &ndash; St Barth, tell us about this collaboration?
PD: It has been such an honor to partner with the Eden Rock team! I wanted to curate pieces that would best reflect the feeling of being on St Barth, the summer and sunshine, and the timeless elegance of the hotel, so that people can carry that memory with them when they return home.

@meluzzajewelry | meluzza.com

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