Vanessa Pederzani creates unusual and effervescent fine jewellery. In keeping with her whimsical and vibrant personality, she enjoys giving shapes to whatever catches her eye. There is gentleness at times, playfulness, and boldness at others, but all her pieces have in common distinctive craftsmanship and unpredictable charm. Using different overtones of diamonds, rubies and coloured sapphires, she moulds precious war helmets, corsets, bats and scorpions. It’s a life story with an intense duality: femininity and gameness.
We caught up with the designer to discuss her inspiration, collections and what you can expect from her at IJL 2019.
What made you want to apply to be a KickStarter at IJL 2019?
In the last two years I have been very busy collaborating with the Hong Kong group Chow Tai Fook designing their new bridal collections, once the project was over I felt the need to going back to my brand and needed a bit of a…kickstart!
What are you most looking forward to during your KickStart experience?
I am mostly looking forward to understand how my products are perceived by the people in the jewellery sector: are they considered interesting, with their own personality and mostly, sellable? This feedback will really help me in focusing in the right direction, in terms of designs, materials, innovation possibilities… I also hope to obtain visibility in the UK and possibly internationally. I haven’t got any retail store selling my jewellery yet and I hope to find one.
Tell us about where you get your inspiration from?
My most important source of inspiration comes from the essence of humanity: ways of thinking, feeling, and acting. I do a lot of symbols research and particularly love chinese ones. Another source comes from jewellers such as Verdura, Hemmerle and Jar, whom I admire both for their subjects but mostly for the materials they used. I am inspired as well by personalities such as Elsa Schiapparelli, Coco Chanel, and by daring people that set examples.
Tell us a little about the work you will be bringing to IJL 2019?
I will bring my most iconic collections:
- The White Queen: expressing women beauty and fragility
- The Dancing Scorpion: representing sensuality, fidelity, and protection
- The Dark Kingdom: representing women who dare
- The Romantic Affair: A collection for a provocative princess, an insolent woman, or just a woman who knows how to seduce.
- The Dangerous Kiss: inspired by the Italian saying “ mordere la vita”, meaning bite life, size all opportunities.
When did you first discover your love of jewellery?
I can say I have always been in love with jewellery, it is in my blood as my grandfather and then dad, were both passionate jewellers. My first toy dog, a wooden dachshund with wheels, was named BIJOUX (jewel in French), the gesture of my dad attaching a necklace on my mother’s neck, and then my passion for drawing clothes, accessories, jewellery. I have also always been interested into minerals and crystals so after graduating I studied gemmology and became a gemologist.
Who would you love to see wearing your jewellery?
Women who dare to be different and love the messages each of my collections bears.
If you had to summarise your brand in a couple of words, what would you use?
Effervescent, daring, ironic and elegant
Make sure to register for your FREE ticket to IJL 2019 and pay a visit to the cutting-edge talent on the KickStart and Bright Young Gem collective stand in the prestigious design gallery.