What Agatha is known for
French costume-jewelry brand founded in Paris in 1974 by Michel Quiniou, positioned between haute couture jewelry and mass-market pieces. Its Scottie-dog motif, introduced in 1989, became a signature; the brand now has over 400 retail points worldwide.
Agatha Paris was founded in 1974 by Michel Quiniou, who set out to occupy a specific middle position in the French jewelry market — pieces more considered and design-led than anonymous mass-market costume jewelry, but priced well below haute couture jewelry houses. Quiniou is reported to have named the brand after agate, the semi-precious stone, while looking for a feminine-sounding name for the label. The brand grew from its original Paris design store into an international fashion-jewelry company, eventually reaching more than 400 retail outlets worldwide, spanning earrings, bracelets, pendants, charms and other accessible jewelry and gift pieces. Its best-known design element, a Scottie dog silhouette, was introduced in 1989 as a pendant, inspired by the founder's own pet dog, and became a recurring motif across the brand's collections and packaging in the decades since. Agatha has continued operating as a jewelry brand aimed at a broad customer base rather than a niche luxury clientele, built on frequent, accessibly priced collections rather than infrequent high-value pieces. Ownership passed in 2021 to the Renaissance Luxury Group, which has continued running the brand under its existing identity and Scottie-dog branding, marking 50 years of the label's history as of 2024.
How ORBIS reads this city
Best for — Accessible French jewelry, charms, and earrings
More in Paris
- Balenciaga — Paris
- Bourrienne Paris X — Paris
- Cartier — Paris
- Céline — Paris
- Chanel — Paris
- Charvet — Paris
- Creed — Paris
- Dior — Paris
Where next
- APM Monaco — Paris
- Mademoiselle Joséphine — Paris
- Mad Lords — Paris
Hand-curated for ORBIS · no paid placement