LOVE FOR CRAFTWORK AND SEARCH FOR GROUNDED DESIGNS
Petjana was born from my love of handcrafting and my desire to create designs that celebrate groundedness and femininity, allowing each woman to express her inner self.
For me, handcrafting is an reflection of nature. Just as every leaf on a tree shares a common shape but is never exactly the same, I can create ten pendants in the same shape, and each will still be unique. This individuality gives each piece a sense of life and vibrancy—a quality I hope to share with you through my jewelry.
I am drawn to natural materials, and metal is my favorite. Its strength and versatility fascinate me: it can be bold and solid, or delicate and light, yet always retains its form. I can shape, hammer, solder, and bend it. Feeling the metal transform under the hammer is pure magic, turning raw material into a unique piece of jewelry, made to become part of your story.
Petjana was born in two beautiful Slovenian valleys, rich in nature and history.
The first is the Soča Valley, where I grew up—a lush landscape of forests, mountains, and the emerald Soča River. Many cultures have passed through, but I have always been most drawn to the Iron Age Celtic artifacts. My first collection, Ambisonta, draws inspiration from their jewelry and symbols.
The second is the Vipava Valley, where I now live. Known for its sunny meadows, vineyards, and hills, this valley also played a role in ancient Roman times, as does the city of Ajdovščina, which was once a Roman fortress called Castra. This history inspired my Romana collection.
All collections, however, are harmonized with modern minimalism, which, for me, represents the idea of “back to basics” in today’s world, too full of clutter. I have always loved geometry, and am fascinated by how something so basic, like a pentagon, rectangle, or other geometric shapes, can also be an integral part of nature. That is why I can say that even for my minimalistic Karina collection, I draw my inspiration from the nature that surrounds me.
I believe all ancient jewelry is special because of the way it was made—by hand, using simple tools. Even after hundreds of years, these designs still feel vibrant and alive. That same vibrancy is what I strive to capture in every piece I create, so that each one carries a sense of life, strength, and individuality—Something I want to give to you and share with the world.
NATURE, HISTORY AND GEOMETRY
ABOUT PETJA
For as long as I can remember, I have loved creating with my hands. Ideas have never stopped flowing, and I’ve always been drawn to practical, tangible work. That passion led me to a vocational textile school, where I studied to be a tailor. I saw fabric only as one of many materials for creative expression, so I later continued my studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, studying restoration. While I realized during my studies that restoration was not my calling, it brought me closer to art and gave me the chance to work with a wide range of materials.
After graduation, I spent more than a decade working mainly on projects as a freelancer, restoring frescoes and murals. Alongside this work, I kept exploring different forms of creativity—designing and sewing, experimenting with costumes made of fabric combined with wire, wood, and copper. I presented a collection of evening dresses with handmade bobbin lace at the 17th World OIDFA Congress. Over the years, I restored antique furniture, did some abstract painting, and gradually moved into jewelry-making—first with leather earrings, later with casted ceramic powder pieces gilded with gold leaf.
Yet something was still missing. I longed for materials and designs that carried more strength, groundedness, and richness.
That's when I discovered brass. In 2022, Petjana was born—my line of handcrafted brass jewelry. Later, I added recycled silver, and with that, my collection evolved to combine timeless craftsmanship with sustainable materials.
Find beauty in small things, and the small things will bring beauty into your life.
— Petja Berginc Fučka
