Amagoia Etxeberria: A Creator at the Intersection of Architecture and Haute Couture
Amagoia Etxeberria: A Creator at the Intersection of Architecture and Haute Couture
Some creators build their careers around the same material; others, however, build their careers around a perspective. Amagoia Etxeberria belongs to the second category. After years of doing murals, compositions for swimming pools, and mosaic projects for some of the world’s most exclusive spaces, this creator is embarking upon a new stage in which three seemingly different disciplines converge: surface design, signature jewelry, and haute couture.
Her work is structured around a single creative vision. Firstly, there is AE.Bespoke, dedicated to developing prints and designs for fashion, interior design, architecture, packaging, and publishing projects. Secondly, there is a jewelry collection inspired by Basque mythology, family ties, and the local landscape. And, lastly, an atelier specializing in custom haute couture and her spectacular Bridal & Evening Couture collection.
Although today she works with gold, silver, silk, weathering steel, and glass, much of her professional career was linked to mosaics. For years she directed the design department at Ezarri, the historic firm founded by her father, Alberto Etxeberria. There, she developed projects for hotels, private residences, and swimming pools installed in different parts of the world. That experience taught her to conceive each design from a deep understanding of the material and manufacturing processes — a way of working that remains present to this day in all her projects.
Her creations always begin with drawing and painting. The manual process precedes the digital one, regardless of what the final result will be. This way of understanding design allows the same idea to be materialized across very different types of media without losing coherence or identity.
A good example is Savage Matter, one of AE.Bespoke’s most representative designs. Drawing inspiration from erosion and the geological history of the Basque coast, the design has been conceived to adapt perfectly to very different scales and materials, from a large architectural door to an outdoor lighting piece.
Her jewelry continues that same exploration on a more intimate scale. The Ama, Mari, and Bizi Geruzak Flysch collections explore the relationship between landscape, history, and tradition through pieces made of sterling silver and gold. Etxeberria’s vision for haute couture, meanwhile, restores prominence to the body and craftsmanship. Each creation is made to measure, as is the case of Gau eta Urrea, made with fabrics inherited from her mother and grandmother and enriched with 22-karat gold leaf — a piece that was on display at the Balenciaga Museum.
“We do haute couture, signature jewelry, and surface design,” says the creator, summarizing her work. “The same language, expressed through different materials by the same hand.” A definition that helps make sense of a career that defies categorization, because no category exists for this. Beyond the materials and the scale of each project, her work is always guided by the same creative approach: observing, drawing, and transforming an idea into something tangible. Whether it’s a jewel destined to accompany a family for generations, a dress conceived for a once-in-a-lifetime moment, or an architectural surface designed to enter into dialog with the space, all her creations share the same exceptional origin and character.
Amagoia Etxeberria
Paseo Zubiaurre 32, San Sebastián.
Tel.: +34 677 202 122
