From a bracelet designer to a group of 120 employees: the success of costume jewelry made in Oléron

“Stringing beads is our job and the first of our 30 manufacturing techniques,” smiles Gilles Renouf, the owner of Retour de plage , a designer of artisanal jewelry based in his workshops in Dolus-d'Oléron (Charente-Maritime), on the island of the same name.

Bracelets, rings, necklaces, earrings, long necklaces… More than 3,000 items inspired by the ocean and the seaside can be made to order before being offered for sale in one of the 13 boutiques owned by the brand – five in Charente-Maritime, the others spread from Bayonne to Saint-Malo via Arcachon and Guérande. Retour de plages, which designs costume jewelry, is simply considered one of the greatest success stories in Oléron. “We employ 74 people year-round and nearly fifty seasonal staff,” says Gilles Renouf, who took over the company in 2020.

The business was born in the early 1990s, conceived by Myriam Boulard. At the time, this woman from Oléron was selling Brazilian bracelets at markets. Soon, a boutique housed in a former oyster hut opened its doors in the port of Saint-Trojan-les-Bains before anchoring Retour de plage's original creations in the summer landscape. Myriam Boulard and her husband Patrice eventually handed over to Gilles Renouf, who has since worked to perpetuate the group and the originality of these iodized creations.

"Some jewelry is made in less than a minute. Others take more than 45 minutes. In total, we use 15,000 references – threads, beads, accessories, etc. – and more than 200 different materials," explains the fifty-year-old, who claims to make 100% of his jewelry in Dolus-d'Oléron or in his various boutiques, depending on needs. Retour de plage focuses exclusively on small series: "25 to 50 pieces to constantly renew our collections, which allows us to be very responsive. When a model works, we start again," emphasizes Gilles Renouf.

As a "maker and creative assistant," Manon shapes rings from silver wire. A triboulet, a sort of conical stick, allows her to choose the desired finger size, adjusting the diameter with a mallet. Using small pliers, she then imprints the metal with the motion of waves. The operation, as quick as it is meticulous, takes only a few seconds.

Her neighbor, Sarah, will spend nearly half an hour creating a necklace combining fine pearls and gold accessories. "The knot is also made of macramé; it slides to fit the customer's size and give them more choice. It's very long," summarizes Sarah, who could also have made pearl earrings like her colleague Stéphanie, or a linen necklace assembled that day by Amélie. "For this model, I use 3 meters of linen folded on themselves. The necklace measures 42 cm in the end. And the largest pearl must be exactly in the middle, otherwise the jewelry will be worn crooked," explains the latter.

In general, Retour de plage offers its jewelry for around 20 to 40 euros, with the most affordable prices corresponding to pieces that are easy to make. A great way to treat yourself when you get back from the beach and reminisce about all those "memories spent at the seaside," smiles Gilles Renouf, who is now working to introduce more recycled and bio-sourced materials into his creations.