Johanne Champigny

In Johanne Champigny’s workshop, magic happens. Here, leather tells stories, stones shine with a thousand promises, and each creation seems to arise from a breath of inspiration. Founder of La Bête, ceremonial creations, Johanne is an artist whose passion and instinct give birth to jewelry that is unlike anything else.

It was in 2010 that I opened the door of a cage that was keeping an animal prisoner. A beast that only wanted to express itself by giving free rein to its emotions by creating unique pieces. This beast in me that was hungry to live discovered a tree. A tree so beautiful and so big that gave me the fruits to feed my creativity. I call it the tree of my life.

Her atypical career has shaped her creativity. After 15 years as an accountant in the family business, Johanne explored various paths: supply management, furniture finishing, and, above all, her role as a mother. But the desire to create had always been with him. At 10 years old, she was already making jewelry from clay found on her land and selling them to her friends. It was a craft fair, encountered by chance, which planted in her the dream of making creation her life.

In 2010, after training in entrepreneurship and obtaining its CMAQ certification, La Bête, Créations d’apparat was born. The name, inspired by a feeling of liberation, embodies her determination to let her talent express itself. Her creations are in her image: instinctive, unique, and deeply marked by their material. She is particularly fond of recycled leathers, marked with scars and imperfections, which she transforms into exceptional jewelry. Every detail counts: the soft suede that covers the backs of its jewelry or the impeccable quality of the stones for a lasting shine.

Johanne never plans her creations. Inspiration overwhelms her as soon as she enters her studio, letting her hands guide her mind. Between murder podcasts and creative silence, she escapes, creates, and sometimes surprises herself.
For her, trade shows are not just showcases: they are moments of exchange. “Seeing faces light up in front of my creations is magical.” With La Bête, Johanne transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary, one jewel at a time.