Today we’d like to introduce you to Emanuela Dandres.
Hi Emanuela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Wooldotén is the name I gave to my small creative passion, through which I design and make handcrafted fashion jewelry. It is not my full-time job, but a hobby that has been part of my life since I was a child. I remember spending hours making necklaces with whatever materials I could find, and I still keep those very first creations. Every now and then I look at them, and it amazes me how much they resemble the pieces I create today, both in spirit and style. It feels as though the little girl I once was never stopped creating.
The name “Wooldotén” also tells part of my story. The word wool reflects my beginnings, as my very first pieces were made mainly with felt balls. The second part, dotén, is a play on the French word Valdôtain, which means “someone from the Aosta Valley,” the region in northern Italy where I live. It is pronounced similarly to “valdoten,” so I replaced “Val” with “Wool,” combining the material that inspired my first creations with my strong connection to my homeland. Although today I work with many different materials, the name still perfectly represents both my creative roots and the journey my work has taken over the years.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since this is a personal passion rather than a full-time business, my journey has been different from that of someone building a traditional company. The biggest challenge has always been finding the time to dedicate to creativity while balancing my work and everyday life.
There was also a moment when, just as I was thinking about turning this passion into something more structured, life took an unexpected direction: my son was born. After years of being told by doctors that I would not be able to have children, his arrival was an immense joy and a wonderful surprise. Naturally, this meant taking a pause in my creative journey, as my priorities changed.
Over time, however, my son also became a source of inspiration and a special presence in my creative world. His curiosity, enthusiasm, and spontaneous way of looking at things have often given me new ideas and, in a way, he has also become a little helper in my creations.
My journey with handcrafted jewelry also began through local markets and small craft fairs, which for me represented much more than just a place to sell my creations. I loved the free-spirited and slightly bohemian atmosphere of that world: meeting new people, sharing stories, reconnecting with friends who would stop by to say hello, and building relationships with other artists and craftspeople who, like me, were following their own creative paths.
Markets are a little world of their own, almost like a traveling community where everyone brings their own art, their own story, and their own energy. In that environment, I found a dimension that truly reflected who I am: a combination of creativity, sharing, and freedom, very close to the spirit of street art.
Another challenge has been accepting that not every idea works on the first try. Some pieces turn out exactly as I imagined them, while others require experimentation, changes, and even a few mistakes along the way. I have learned that these moments are also an essential part of the creative process, and sometimes the experiments that don’t work lead me toward completely new ideas.
I believe the most beautiful part is being able to create without feeling pressured to follow trends or external expectations. I can take my time, experiment with different materials and shapes, and create only what truly feels like me. That is why every piece tells a story and is born, first and foremost, from the joy of creating.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a creative artist who expresses myself through handcrafted jewelry. I create unique pieces and small collections using different materials such as felt, resin, wood, stones, silicone, recycled glass beads, natural seeds, and other elements that spark my curiosity and inspire me.
My work does not come from a single style or a predefined technique. What I love most is the freedom to experiment, combining materials, colors, and shapes that may seem very different from one another, and transforming them into something with its own personality. Each creation begins with an idea, a memory, a place, an emotion, or simply something that catches my attention and that I feel the desire to transform into something wearable.
What I am most proud of is that my bijoux are not simply accessories, but small stories. Each collection has its own soul and meaning: some are inspired by nature, others by personal experiences, and others by emotions or images that have stayed with me. I like to think that when someone chooses one of my creations, they are not just wearing an object, but carrying a small story with them.
To share the world behind my creations with others, I also rediscovered a part of myself that I had set aside over the years: my passion for photography and being in front of the camera. When I was younger, I had already had the opportunity to explore this world, and through Wooldotén I found a way to express myself again through images.
I started collaborating with different photographers, sometimes becoming the model myself to tell the story of my bijoux, but also involving friends, colleagues, and people close to me in small creative projects. Each photo shoot becomes a real artistic project: the outfits, lighting, atmosphere, and theme are all carefully designed to create a visual story.
Sometimes these stories come from imagination, while other times they are inspired by real-life experiences, but my goal is always the same: to give each bijoux a context, an emotion, and a personality, as if every creation were the main character in a small theatrical scene.
I believe what sets me apart is this free and intuitive approach. I do not create by following trends or mass production: every piece passes through my hands, my imagination, and my personal way of seeing the world. My greatest satisfaction comes when someone recognizes an emotion in one of my bijoux and feels that the creation was made especially for them.
How do you think about luck?
I believe luck has played an important role in my creative journey, especially because it has given me the freedom to create without pressure.
One of my greatest fortunes has been having a stable job alongside this passion, as well as an educational background that has shaped the way I see the world. My degree in Anthropology gave me curiosity, openness, and a deeper interest in people, cultures, and stories — elements that also influence my creative work.
Because Wooldotén has never been my main source of income, I have always had the freedom to create when I feel inspired and to take a step back when I need time or when creativity does not come naturally. I have never wanted this passion to become an obligation or something driven by financial necessity.
For me, the beauty of this journey lies precisely in being able to keep it as a space of freedom and personal expression. My job provides me with stability, while Wooldotén gives me a different kind of fulfillment: the joy of imagining, experimenting, and sharing something that comes from a very personal place.
Pricing:
- Pricing varies depending on the materials, complexity, and uniqueness of each piece. Since every creation is handmade and often one of a kind, I prefer to evaluate each bijoux individually rather than having a fixed price list. My creations are generally available at accessible prices, reflecting the time, creativity, and care that go into each piece
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