REPORTAGE: Diva, the Italian glamour in fashion jewelry by Cristina Morozzi

In Dubai an entirely Made in Italy exhibition tells the fusion of artisan quality, design and fashion. Read the report by Cristina Morozzi for Design Italy.

From July 17th, Sunday to Thursday, the Italian Cultural Institute of Abu Dhabi, located in Al Bateen district, presents the exhibition “Diva! Il Glamour italiano nel gioiello moda”. The curatorship was entrusted to Alba Cappellieri, a professor at the Milano Politecnico, and organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the support of the Italian Embassy in the United Arab Emirates.

Exclusive pieces of Italian fashion jewellery told the creative contaminations between goldsmithing and Italian excellence in craftsmanship, design and fashion.

The publication of the volume edited by Ada Cappellieri and published by Silvana Editoriale, accompanies the exhibition with an introduction on the relationship between creativity, craftsmanship and innovation written by the costume jewellery collector Deanna Farneti Cera. In addition, the volume contains contributions by important authors, such as the Milanese poet Alda Merini, the semiologist Roland Barthes, the ethologist Desmond Morris and the Countess Marta Marzotto, protagonist of the Roman Dolce Vita.

The words of Alessandro Mendini, architect, designer and theorist of the project, are particularly interesting and exhaustive: "The fashion jewel has its roots in the fine craftsmanship that has characterized the Italian territories since the Middle Ages and has then evolved to become a significant voice of our exports, thanks to the fruitful creativity of costume jewellery makers, stylists and designers. Nevertheless, it has lent itself much more than the precious jewel to experiments and innovations that have determined important technological and material achievements”. 

Cristina Morozzi