Locally designed bracelet captures the culture of the River Parishes
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BY BROOKE R. CANTRELLE he custom-designed La Riviére bangle bracelet at Roussel’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts shows the meandering of the mighty Mississippi River through St. Charles, St. John the Baptist and St. James parishes. It’s the only piece of jewelry that captures the culture of the River Parishes with symbols representing native wildlife, culinary delights and sights that aren’t replicated anywhere else in the world. Creation of the La Riviére bracelet was a team effort that began more than a year ago, according to Earl Rodrigue Jr., manager of the LaPlace Roussel’s location at 232 Belle Terre Blvd. Suite A. “We wanted to find a way to represent the River Parishes in a unique way that could combine St. Charles, St. John and St. James parishes. That’s when we developed the idea to do a cuff bracelet,” Rodrigue said. Crafted in sterling silver, the bracelet features the Mississippi River as the tie that binds the three parishes. In the center is a fleur de lis representing light and life in the
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Carlos Martich, Meshia Slack, Codi Duncan and manager Earl Rodrigue Jr. helped design the exclusive La Riviére bracelet at Roussel’s Fine Jewelry & Gifts. All of the employees across the different store locations were part of the team effort. River Region. Several symbols are intricately weaved into the bangle, including a bold magnolia flower that reflects the blooming trees throughout the region. A stalk of sugar cane symbolizes the industry that spurred early development of local communities, as well as the Sugar Queen festival that crowned generations of young women. Meanwhile, a simmering