For the first time ever, from 1st-10th March in Gold Union’s new boutique at 137 Nevsky Prospekt, 7 designers from different countries around the world will be presenting their jewellery collections. For this event, I have carefully selected a range of jewellers who each possess a unique signature style and produce high quality fine jewellery. I want those who visit the trunk to witness all the complexities of jewellery; both in terms of its design, and the materials used.
From 1st-3rd March, representatives from Annoushka (UK), Akillis (France), Davide Maule (Italy), Fabio Salini (Italy), Gismondi 1754 (Italy), Lydia Courteille (France) and NUUN Jewels (Saudi Arabia) will personally attend the event with me. I would be delighted to facilitate introductions between all those who wish to meet the trunk show participants by appointment only, which can be booked by sending an e-mail to me at info@katerinaperez.com. In the meantime, read on for some insight into the designers.
In 2007, Caroline Gaspard launched her own jewellery brand with a name that is no less extravagant than the jewels themselves: AKILLIS. The first half of the name is taken from that of the indomitable Greek hero Achilles, and the second from the word “kill” (as in to murder or destroy). As Caroline herself likes to joke, her clients possess the strength and invincibility of Achilles; their only weakness is her jewellery. Caroline has dismissed the traditions of sartorial gender norms by creating collections for both men and women. The designer loves to play with and change her style according to her mood, consistently fashioning jewellery that is bold, modern, experimental and inimitable.
The motto of British brand Annoushka’s founder Annoushka Ducas is: jewellery shouldn’t be the preserve of special occasions – it’s worth wearing every day. Indeed, it is everyday accessories that Annoushka particularly focuses on because these, in the designer’s opinion, are the real means of self-expression. Bright, colourful and cherished, they serve to broaden women’s horizons and expose their potential.
Davide Maule is perhaps one of today’s quirkiest designers. He has dedicated 15 years of his career to studying and creating the elements and intricacies of jewellery within some of the best maisons - such as Bulgari - that have long been renowned and need no introduction. After perfecting his skills, Davide decided to embark on his own creative journey: in 2013, he founded his own company that draws from his own personal style. The jewellery is inspired not only by fine art, nature and the world surrounding him, but also the materials themselves. Behind every creation, there is a story he is telling, something which makes his work endlessly dazzling and original.
Mystical symbols, archaeology, places and events of historical significance, flora, fauna – all of these are whirling around in the fantastical vortex of Lydia Courteille’s ideas. But, however unpredictable her designs might be, you can be sure that the quality of their execution, as well as the comfort and levity of her pieces, will always be finessed to the highest degree. Such an approach to making jewellery has secured Lydia Courteille’s output the undivided attention of collectors, experts and jewellery aficionados from all over the globe. As a tribute to her unusual creative style, Lydia’s “Atodafe” ring has been placed in a permanent collection at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
Fabio Salini has nurtured his inherent artistic sensitivity through the academic study of geology and gemmology, in addition to practical experience at the creative departments of Cartier and Bulgari. This invaluable professional experience allowed Fabio to unlock his artistic potential with maximum effect and attain a singular personal style that immediately won him international acclaim from the moment he released his first jewellery collection in 1999. Since 2004, his atelier and workshop have found a permanent address in Rome. The name Fabio Salini is now synonymous with innovation, diversity, originality, uniqueness and experimentalism; his work will be continually considered as something of a spectacular event when it is exhibited at jewellery expos all over the world.
Seven consecutive generations of the Italian Gismondi family have been united by a single passion: jewellery. Originally it was Massimo Gismondi, who became a part of the family business in 1995, that significantly extended the brand’s geographical reach, taking it to an international level by opening outlets in St Moritz (Switzerland) and London (UK). The thing that always attracts, charms and enraptures people when they first glance at Gismondi’s jewellery is its fascinating design and colour palette. Formed under the bright the Italian sun, it’s as if the pieces have absorbed the sun’s rays and now reflect them with countless faceted emeralds, sapphires, rubies and diamonds that are succulent, intensely colourful and heightened by the hues of the semi-precious gemstones that echo them.
Concepts developed by the jeweller and native Saudi Arabian Nourah Al Faisal are new and refreshing. The designer creates novel designs with rare gemstones and unusually cut diamonds. The novelty and aesthetic qualities of her creations are accentuated with either effeminate or sharply drawn geometric shapes, contemporary motifs or art deco flourishes, forms that are abstract or precisely true to patterns in nature – all of these embody Nourah’s impressions, feelings and emotions about her environment. To convey their nuances, she is constantly on the lookout for new materials and stones, experimenting and expanding not just her expertise, but also that of her craftsmen.
See you at Gold Union’s boutique, 137 Nevsky Prospekt!
