Artist Bio: Oeuvres
a curated home for fashion, art, and design.
Scrolling all the way down to the bottom of their feed, I see little pockets of color, thoughtful designs, lines and rounded serving trays always set to the background of a neutral tone. These are what caught my eye. It’s very much like paging through an editorial and gives the eyes a treat, asking the onlooker to slow down, settle in, and envision how they might care to different corners and nooks of their home or how they would feel wearing a crocheted dress that had already lived a life before, towel wrapped around head as you prepare for the day - surely, you would have important things to do.
Gabriela Kramer is the captivating, one person team behind Oeuvres.
From her beginnings, Gabriela was primed to love art. An obsession for secondhand grew out of it being commonplace growing up and also tagging along with her mom who worked as a real estate agent, seeing houses and spaces and watching the setup, there began a lifelong passion and curiosity for design and naturally, a hobby for collecting secondhand goods. Later in life when the pandemic brought her schooling to a halt, a friend of Gabriela encouraged her to give this a try, and simply start. At the time, Gabriela was a full time student studying Chinese medicine and working in an acupuncture clinic and transitioned to Oeuvres full time while still a full time student.
If not for the storytelling and escapism through imagery, the name alone was enough to pique my interest. At first thinking it was French, sounding similar to ‘ouvrir’ or to open, I found its meaning in English: the life's work of a writer, artist, or composer. Which then made sense to me because of an overture. This is the beauty of language. Its name is fitting, as Oeuvres is very much, Gabriela. The items she brings in are, “maybe my alter egos,” and allow for play, both with her own creativity and those who stop by and these pieces of her world. Oeuvres is a lifestyle brand, not limited to clothing, you’ll find pleasing bits of art, maybe a case to store your vinyls, a candle holder, multi-use vase, or other useful items that all behold a common thread of tenderness.
Upon sourcing, some items find a home five minutes after being shared, whereas others may wait a bit longer to find the right person. When it comes to knowing something is right for Oeuvres, Gabriela feels a creative excitement, forming a storyline or scene, much like a film with how she sees it playing out or a particular tablescape that captures its feeling.
Living in Tel Aviv for ten years, this is where Oeuvres started. “I built a close community and would work with small businesses around the city: flower shops, cheese shops, or wine,” collaborating to bring her imaginings to life and set the perfect scene for each piece. After deciding six months ago to go on an adventure with her husband, they traveled for about three months in The States, eventually landing in Brooklyn, New York. It is here that they are making their new home and where Oeuvres has its own too. Two very different cities, she eagerly anticipates the evolution of Oeuvres in the concrete jungle and lively energy of Brooklyn. Having recently launched their first in-house design, it is clear the spark has already begun.
la fleur: hand blown flower-shaped glass pendants - wrap around chokers that can be used as body art
And she has more planned for Oeuvres, too, with it becoming a creative/directive brand house, “a place where other artists can come, network, share their stories and items,” with Oeuvres based events and thoughtful tablescapes. The warmest host, the possibilities for Gabriela and and Oeuvres are truly, endless.
In her work, Gabriela is passionate about all of it. The sourcing, curating, being the art and creative director. And at the core of it all, having fun. “I love all aspects of it,” she remarks, and sincerely wishes each person who gives one of these pieces new life, will cherish it in their home or on their body, above all, enjoy it, thinking of Oeuvres and bringing it with them for years more.
Watch her interview here:
For more Oeuvres:
*With the newly launched website, drops will be weekly - biweekly, with everything going on their Instagram story first through DMs (first come first serve) with either shipping or pickup in Brooklyn, before being available on the website.