Italian Fashion and Flair
By Cristina Bellavista
Orogemma 2001 will likely be remembered more for the catastrophe that stuck America during the fair than for anything that happened at the fair.
Even the first days of the show were quiet, according to many exhibitors. Fear of an American recession was in the air, as was worry about a possible slowdown in European consumption due to the Euro currency. In the first half of the year, Italy registered an overall decline in demand. U.S. demand fell by 17 percent, the United Arab Emirates by 26 percent, and Hong Kong by 26 percent. Then came September 11, and now no one knows what the future will bring.
At least the final numbers of Orogemma provide some illusion of normalcy and comfort. Over 16,000 trade visitors came to Orogemma; 5,500 were foreigners from 100 countries. Leading the foreign contingency were Spanish visitors, followed by Germans and 415 Americans.
The Watch Salon appeared again this year, with a particularly interesting exhibition from the Metropolitan Museum of art in New York. It was organized by Cleto Munari, who commissioned special watches by famous artists such
as Hans Hollein, Arata Isokazi and Ettore Sottsass.
There were two jewelry exhibits: one displayed the Diamond Trading Company’s current love — the diamond line bracelet. The other, organized by Platinum Guild Italia, featured heart pendants in platinum.
There were also various conventions and seminars organized by GIA Europe. One of particular interest dealt with uncertainties of the current market. Another featured speaker Martin Rapaport, who analyzed the current problems in the diamond industry and possible solutions to them. “Add value to jewelry. Do more marketing and advertising, especially now, when De Beers’ monopoly is over, but not its power,” he said. “The customer is the key not only for success but also for the survival of companies. Do not become desperate; up and down are part of the normal economic cycle. We should learn to sell the idea of jewelry and not rely solely on a technical approach.”
Reflections of Fashion
At Orogemma we checked out how Italian jewelry producers are responding to the top fashion trends for fall/winter 2001-2002. The return of the dark woman is in the air right now, bringing themes like punk and certain periods of the nineteenth century to the surface. Here we see the use of forgotten stones like garnet, the rediscovery of the shapes of the past, such as the oval and heart, chokers and rose-cut diamonds. Giorgio Visconti, Scavia and Piero Milano used them.
Yellow and white are big players in winter clothing, creating a backdrop for jewelry in yellow and white gold, platinum and silver. Two main colors for diamonds and precious stones, sapphires and topaz are yellow and brown. Pasquale Bruni, La Nouvelle Bague and Luca Carati showed these colors.
Jewelry with clean lines is most suited for clothing with architectural or futuristic lines. The pieces are extremely minimal but with a strong intrinsic value conferred by diamonds and precious stones, often cut geometrically as shown by Centoventuno, Versace Jewellery, Cozza Gioielli and Monile.
In fashion, we also see the return of frills, flounces and appliqué fabric flowers,in the name of a new romanticism.This theme is expressed in jewelry through motifs that create movement: locket rings and pendants, disordered cascades of precious and colored stones transformed into necklaces, appliqué motifs as relief. Orlando Orlandini and Pippo Pierez played with these themes.
With the return to small hairstyles and 40's-style hats, long earrings in precious stones and diamonds are making a comeback.
For novelty, there is a new line — Io Si’ by Scavia. Diamonds — in which colored stones and a strong contemporary design are the main characteristics.
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