An exclusive selection of vintage and contemporary bijoux
From mid-November, the past and present come together in a special area of YOOX.COM, dedicated to contemporary and vintage bijoux, overseen by the vintage expert and fashion critic Holly Brubach.
The history of costume jewelry takes centre stage, with outstanding pieces from the 1920s to the 1980s: refined creations from the most renowned designers including Chanel, Kenneth Jay Lane, Coppola and Toppo, Miriam Haskell, Correani, Trifari, and Monet. Many of these items come from important private collections, like that belonging to the jewelry historian Deanna Farneti Cera. Alongside bijoux from past eras are pieces from today’s most prominent designers from the new generation, like Johanne Mills, Steven Scott, Ligia Dias, Iosselliani and Natalia Brilli. Six recurring themes in the history of costume jewellery, which are incredibly relevant to today’s significant trends, are used to categorize all of these creations: Black, Cuffs & Bracelets, Graphic Themes, Chains, Pearls, Glamourous Ornaments.
An exclusive gallery of ideas for refined Christmas shopping, dedicated to collectors seeking rare items, as well as everyone who wishes to customize their own style with one-of-a-kind pieces.
YOOX.COM has gathered together several of the most significant titles that explore the fascinating world of jewelry
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Initially considered mere imitations of their more precious counterparts, since the 1950s costume jewelry has been increasingly appreciated for its dignity, style, glamour, and design.
Find out more about several important designers who have contributed to the success and popularity of costume jewelry:
COPPOLA AND TOPPO (Milan 1946-1986)
Lyda Toppo (née Coppola) made her professional debut in 1948 in Paris, where she created bijoux for numerous designers including Piquet, Schiaparelli, Fath, Jeanne Lanvin, Balmain, Nina Ricci, and Balenciaga. All pieces by Coppola e Toppo were handmade and created in limited numbers, and stand out for their unusual combinations of Italian materials from varied regions of the country, like Venetian glass and coral from Torre del Greco. The shapes vary according to period: up until the end of the 1950s, geometric lines prevail, created by stiff brass plate covered with multi-colored crystals, at times interspersed with pearls. The 1960s are characterized by nature motifs (flowers, leaves, branches), created by the overlapping of crystal beads mounted on invisible metal backings with holes. The explosion of crystals’ popularity at the end of the 1950s contributed to the extraordinary success of Coppola e Toppo’s bijoux; by the start of the 1960s almost all of the principal Italian design houses, including Lancetti, E. Pucci (1963), Ken Scott (1965), Valentino (1967), and Krizia (1968), trusted all of their bijoux production to the brand. The company closed in 1986, upon the death of Lyda Coppola.
UGO CORREANI (Milan, 1973)
Ugo Correani began his design career in Milan in 1973, when he created the bijoux collection for Walter Albini. His collaborations quickly expanded to include Valentino and Basile, and in the late 1970s his work was sought in Paris, where he began a long collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld – first under the brand Chloé and then Chanel – as well as Christian Lacroix. He simultaneously created couture bijoux for Gianni Versace, Fendi, and Mario Valentino. Beginning in 1984, Correani began created jewelry for theatrical productions, working together with Gianni Versace who designed the costumes. Correani’s bijoux, while adapting perfectly to the individual requests of the commissioning couturiers, always managed to carry the sign of the designer himself. To the eyes of the seasoned viewer, the history of jewelry design is evident throughout Correani’s pieces, along with a clear love of distant cultures, a passion for experimenting in new materials, and pure ornamental creativity. After his death in 1992, Ugo Correani’s company was guided by Robert Bruno for a further two years.
MIRIAM HASKELL
In 1924, Miriam Haskell opened a small boutique of imaginative bijoux in New York and began a then-rare career as a woman manager. Haskell’s bijoux were designed by a series of important names like Frank Hess, Robert F. Clarke and Larry Vrba. While the jewelry produced by Haskell are the best examples of American couture bijoux, they take inspiration from vast range of sources: necklaces from the ancient Greeks and Romans, ornaments from Chinese and African cultures, the first French couture jewels from the 1930s, and regional Italian pieces—from Venetian or Florentine souvenirs to jewels from the Bourbons in Southern Italy. Haskell’s bijoux are renowned for their craftsmanship, their color combinations, and the materials that Haskell often had custom-created especially for her company. Whether within the exclusive circles of aristocracy or Hollywood, Haskell’s client list included the most stylish women, from Duchess of Windsor to Joan Crawford and Catherine Deneuve. Today, Haskell’s company is owned by Frank Fialkoff with headquarters in New York and produces replicas of the jewelry designed in the 1950s and 1960s, as well as models designed by Millie Petronzio, inspired by the legendary Haskell style.
