The house of effective jewellery, FOPE has constructed a worldwide popularity for providing oh-so-glamorous items, full with revolutionary, Italian aptitude, in fact. Count on a coming collectively of diamonds and effective gems, and loads of chains — cue FOPE’s authentic versatile 18-carat gold mesh chains — for a basic, but up to date enchantment. And it’s an aesthetic that’s liked by the style glitterati and A-listers alike, from Rihanna and Katy Perry to Miley Cyrus and Kate Beckinsale all selecting FOPE for main pink carpet occasions.
On the helm of the model is Vicenza-born designer Claudia Piaserico who started her skilled profession as a lawyer, earlier than heading into the realm of her true ardour: effective jewellery. All through her designing profession, Claudia has acquired an entire host of awards and accolades, from an Worldwide Lifetime Achievement Award by the Girls’s Jewellery Affiliation to the Italian Fondazione Marisa Bellisario prize, supported by the President of the Italian Republic.
If that doesn’t preserve her busy sufficient, she’s additionally been acknowledged by the educational world for her achievements, lecturing on the College of Padua and the Creative Faculty of Vicenza. She has additionally held institutional positions inside the goldsmithing world, together with President of the Vicenza Confindustria Gold and Silversmiths part, Nationwide Vice President of the Italian Jewellers Affiliation, and Vice President of Confindustria Vicenza. Claudia can also be on the board of the Museo del Gioiello of Vicenza and, holds the place of the President of Confindustria Federorafi, the Italian affiliation that represents greater than 1500 Italian goldsmithing corporations. That’s no imply feat, particularly while growing new designs and ideas to develop the FOPE markets.
Claudia has taken trip of her busy schedule to speak about her ardour for jewellery, her profession thus far, and the evolution of this beloved model.
You moved from the world of legislation to jewellery, how did that come about?
My household owned a jewellery firm in Italy, so I grew up round jewellery. However my father at all times wished me to review legislation and change into a choose. However after changing into a lawyer, I noticed that my coronary heart wasn’t in it. I began designing particular jewellery items only for enjoyable and just for myself to put on quite than promote. My designs included a giant starfish, dolphin, and octopus brooch with plenty of coloured stones and enamel. Then destiny intervened and an essential worldwide purchaser occurred to see my designs, fell in love with them, and requested to buy them. They positioned a big order, and so my mom determined to provide me a chance within the household enterprise. That’s when my jewelry profession started and I’ve by no means seemed again.
Did you at all times have a love for jewellery?
I at all times liked jewellery from after I was a small woman and I liked to play dress-up with my Nonna’s necklaces and bracelets, pretending to be a princess. I particularly love Artwork Deco and Nineteen Twenties designs, however I like all jewellery. Each design tells a novel story and it’s then as much as us to lend our interpretation to that design after we put on jewellery in our model.
How did you develop your design skills?
Touring is essential to maintain my thoughts open and helps me to know how the markets and customers evolve, and what sort of new traits or wants we will face. I dwell in one of many three most essential Italian gold districts (Vicenza) and this helps me lots in understanding new applied sciences and new working methods, which is essential when designing up to date jewels.
Inform us about FOPE and its heritage.
FOPE is without doubt one of the most essential Italian jewellery manufacturers. The corporate was based in 1929 and it’s well-known world wide due to its steady innovation. It’s nonetheless a household enterprise, though it has been listed on the Milan inventory trade since 2006, which signifies that the model has stored its household values and heritage. And it is vitally Italian! FOPE completely represents ‘Made in Italy’ as a result of it masterfully blends heritage with innovation.
What’s your position at FOPE, and what does it entail?
I’m FOPE’s Inventive Director. Which means that I analysis how FOPE jewellery can develop by contemplating traits, methods to extend high quality, being at all times distinctive but protecting our id, but additionally changing into one thing new and totally different from the previous. We glance to design up to date jewellery, that transcends gender, age, and tradition. FOPE jewellery is appropriate for each women and men, for youthful generations and the older ones, and with designs that may be translated into all types of vogue and cultural types. This work is just not achieved alone – I additionally depend on my younger group of designers, and I’m very happy with them.
How is the model evolving?
FOPE is continually trying on the future and this units us aside from many others. We closely put money into R&D actions to guarantee innovation, to supply the best high quality 18ct gold jewellery, and to fabricate sustainably. Whereas FOPE’s ground-breaking Flex’it expertise was pioneered in 2007 to create versatile gold mesh chains, made completely from 18ct gold, since then, FOPE has not stood nonetheless however has developed various kinds of versatile gold mesh designs on which our collections are based mostly. To do that, the bespoke expertise to supply a brand new chain mesh must be developed too, typically utilizing state-of-the-art robotic expertise. A brand new assortment based mostly on the concept of a brand new model of versatile gold mesh can take two years to return to fruition – from the preliminary thought to creating the expertise to make it after which designing a set round it.
Our designs are up to date and whereas they always evolve with every new assortment, all of them match completely with an on a regular basis ‘quiet luxurious’ expertise. Our Flex’it system, which is exclusive on this planet and patented to FOPE, makes our jewellery tremendous snug to put on and really versatile. FOPE’s Flex’it bracelets may be worn all day, on daily basis, and really feel like a second pores and skin on the wrist as a result of they’re so clean and comfy. Our Flex’it gold rings can stretch round totally different fingers, so you may select which finger to position them on relying in your temper or model, or they are often stacked collectively or with different rings too. And our Flex’it gold necklaces may be worn as snug chokers or joined collectively utilizing our revolutionary clasp designs, to create lengthy sautoirs. Lastly, we’ve got even prolonged the Flex’it expertise to earrings, creating versatile gold hoops and drop earrings that may be worn in numerous methods.
Is there something you may share about new ideas and designs which can be on the horizon?
Properly, one idea may be very secret, and it will likely be superb after we are able to launch! I can’t inform you something about this, however it will likely be beautiful! Belief me! It might be one thing very totally different however it would include a deep which means.
That are your standout or favourite FOPE items?
Bubble rings! Particularly as a result of it was my very first design for FOPE and I’m keen on them! They’re one thing of a departure for FOPE as a result of they’re a playful celebration of coloured stones and diamonds, all set inside an 18ct gold band based mostly on FOPE’s basic Novecento mesh chain.
What have been your profession highlights thus far?
There have been so many! In 2011, I used to be awarded the nationwide prize “Fondazione Marisa Belisario”, supported by the President of the Italian Republic for “New skills in Made In Italy design”. In 2013, I used to be awarded by the grasp Gianmaria Buccellati with the Worldwide Lifetime Achievement Award from the WJA (The Girls’s Jewelry Affiliation). In 2009 and 2010, in the course of the Grammy Awards held in Los Angeles, I dressed well-known celebrities together with Rihanna, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Kate Beckinsale. And eventually, in 2021 I used to be honored to be appointed as President of the Italian Jewelry Federation, representing the pursuits of Italian jewellery manufacturing: a vital institutional position, which I take very critically.