September 20 through 26 marks D.C. Fashion Week, and DCist will be celebrating by interviewing a different local designer every day this week. Check out the rest of our coverage here. Today, we talk to Thomas — who requested that we not use his last name — of Couture Saboteur.

What is the concept and aesthetic behind Couture Saboteur?

Couture Saboteur is handcrafted jewelery that are statement pieces and which take some confidence to wear. The aesthetic is a mix of industrial, 80s, and goth, with a nod to luxe. I was doing “big” before “big” became mainstream, and I still do. There are always clients for larger scale pieces.

There are three labels under the Couture Saboteur brand. The tagging, pricing, as well as style and size of the necklaces denotes the nuances between the lines. Couture Saboteur is the original concept. Contraband is a smaller, younger vibe at a more affordable price point. And Vows, which is very new, is a line of more opulent bridal pieces that are larger in scale and very labor intensive. The look is mostly pearl driven, which coincidentally is a huge call out for fall/winter ’10, and integrates materials that are unconventional to the bridal category. The goth and hipster brides are out there and they’re looking for unusual pieces!