When I was a child I wanted to become the owner of a luxury hotel.
When have you started creating jewelry? How did this passion come about?
I started making jewellery as a teenager when I was given a set to make items with Fimo (acrylic clay). The passion for jewellery was passed on by my grandfather and my mother who were both antique jewellery dealers.
What was your first project or significant piece for you and from what point of view?
My significant piece of jewellery is one of the pendant necklaces that I presented at my final degree show in 2003 at Goldsmiths University. The project started by exploring design opportunities around the take-away eating culture and the objects used for it, I ended up designing jewellery items that can be also used as cutlery like the fork/spoon silver cylinder pendant necklace in the pictures below.
How do you charge your batteries? What other passions and creative interests do you have?
I charge my batteries by travelling to interesting places/cities like London, Barcelona, Florence, Rome and Milan. I love going to art galleries and museums but often I also get my inspiration from nature.
What does the connection between manufacturing tradition and contemporary design mean to you?
I often use lost wax and other traditional italian manufacturing techniques to make contemporary items by carving the wax into unusual, irregular, geometric shapes and by adding to the finished items some untraditional materials such as colourful Swarovki crystals and resins.
Is there a self-portrait piece that speaks most about you?
Although I consider it a very simple piece of jewellery that wasn’t much elaborated or reconstructed, I consider the Tappo (lid) Necklace the most iconic of Reshaped brand as, in its’ simplicity, it contains the whole DNA of Reshaped jewellery collection: a collection made of upcycled plastic recuperated from being thrown away and painted with nail varnish, embelished by goldplated and rhodium plated chains, clasps and other components.
Which material have you not yet used is a temptation and a challenge for you?
I still didn’t manage to use fabric or paper materials and I am tempted to use them to embrace the challenge of shaping these two soft, frail, delicate and unpredictable materials into jewellery pieces.
How was the pandemic period for you as a jewelry designer?
During the pandemic period, specifically during lockdown, I started making jewellery by hand as opposed to designing the items and having other factories make them to my specifications. Although I had extensive training to upgrade my making skills, I explored new ways of making the jewellery items in unconventional ways.
How do you see the future of contemporary jewelry?
I see the future of contemporary jewellery very much intertwined with technology to become a mean for people to express themselves, state belonging to specific social groups and voice their opinion.
