It's hard not to find inspiration in a city as breathtaking as Rome. But translating that into work is a whole different story. One of OC's favorite jewelry designers, Delfina Delettrez, does just that with every opulent yet tongue-in-cheek piece she creates. When I visited Delfina in her Rome workspace, I wasn't sure what to expect. But I was delighted at how kind and welcoming she was. In true Italian style, we started off the interview with an espresso and a freshly rolled cigarette.
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Alberto Jimenez: What about jewelry fascinates you?
Delfina Delettrez: Firstly, I have always been obsessed with details. I think I got it from my grandmother and my mother––it's in our DNA. I also like seeing the transformation of a rock or a piece of raw material into a mini sculpture, shiny and perfectly made. I like the smell of the material and the coldness of the stones. I can feel their energy sometimes; it affects you.
I never really wear jewelry, so when I do I want it to be transformable. I use traditional techniques but I don't follow traditional rules. I like to think that I make toys for adults; my pieces move and open, they are semantic and ironic. They remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. I think of strong women––I imagine a woman arriving to dinner with a caterpillar on her shoulder. I like to make pieces that are conversation starters.
AJ: You refer a lot to the human body in your work. Why is that?
DD: Yes––Kama Sutra, the eyes, the butt, tits... The only rule I have for myself is not to follow any rule, only my imagination. To me, the Karma Sutra figures look very harmonic. From far away, you can't tell that the pieces are made up of two people melted into one sex position, and that was the point. Also I'm very shy and closed off––I think my references to the body are a way to express another side of me.
AJ: What if your favorite design of yours?
DD: Nowadays I've been wearing a lot of the eyes, but I'm attached to all of my pieces. It is like when you have a lot of children––you need to give attention to all of them. I feel guilty only wearing one.
AJ: I read that you spent a good amount of time of your childhood in Rio de Janeiro.
DD: Yes, I used to spend half the year there as a child. But home was always Rome. I also spent a lot of time in Paris. I'm half-French and half-Italian. When I'm in Paris I feel more French, whereas when I'm in Rome, I feel more Italian.
I love everything about Paris, it's like a big Rome. It is very royal to me––I love the enormous streets, the boutiques, the Parisian style. I love my coffee at a bar and a cigarette. Even in December when it's cold outside, the French need their cigarette and glass of red wine. I also love Paris when it's grey. It's very melancholic and poetic. So while I spent a lot of time in Brazil, home has always been Europe.
AJ: Why did you decide to base in Rome instead of Paris, where you show your collection?
DD: Rome is home. But a big part of it is also having grown up being taught the importance of "Made in Italy." I think Italy is one the only countries where you can still find real artisans. It's more magical to have my things made here.
AJ: Is there any part of your childhood that influenced your current collection?
DD: I have very loose memories of the time I spent in Brazil, but they are very colorful. Nature there is so explosive&n
__________________________________________________
Alberto Jimenez: What about jewelry fascinates you?
Delfina Delettrez: Firstly, I have always been obsessed with details. I think I got it from my grandmother and my mother––it's in our DNA. I also like seeing the transformation of a rock or a piece of raw material into a mini sculpture, shiny and perfectly made. I like the smell of the material and the coldness of the stones. I can feel their energy sometimes; it affects you.
I never really wear jewelry, so when I do I want it to be transformable. I use traditional techniques but I don't follow traditional rules. I like to think that I make toys for adults; my pieces move and open, they are semantic and ironic. They remind us not to take ourselves too seriously. I think of strong women––I imagine a woman arriving to dinner with a caterpillar on her shoulder. I like to make pieces that are conversation starters.
AJ: You refer a lot to the human body in your work. Why is that?
DD: Yes––Kama Sutra, the eyes, the butt, tits... The only rule I have for myself is not to follow any rule, only my imagination. To me, the Karma Sutra figures look very harmonic. From far away, you can't tell that the pieces are made up of two people melted into one sex position, and that was the point. Also I'm very shy and closed off––I think my references to the body are a way to express another side of me.
AJ: What if your favorite design of yours?
DD: Nowadays I've been wearing a lot of the eyes, but I'm attached to all of my pieces. It is like when you have a lot of children––you need to give attention to all of them. I feel guilty only wearing one.
AJ: I read that you spent a good amount of time of your childhood in Rio de Janeiro.
DD: Yes, I used to spend half the year there as a child. But home was always Rome. I also spent a lot of time in Paris. I'm half-French and half-Italian. When I'm in Paris I feel more French, whereas when I'm in Rome, I feel more Italian.
I love everything about Paris, it's like a big Rome. It is very royal to me––I love the enormous streets, the boutiques, the Parisian style. I love my coffee at a bar and a cigarette. Even in December when it's cold outside, the French need their cigarette and glass of red wine. I also love Paris when it's grey. It's very melancholic and poetic. So while I spent a lot of time in Brazil, home has always been Europe.
AJ: Why did you decide to base in Rome instead of Paris, where you show your collection?
DD: Rome is home. But a big part of it is also having grown up being taught the importance of "Made in Italy." I think Italy is one the only countries where you can still find real artisans. It's more magical to have my things made here.
AJ: Is there any part of your childhood that influenced your current collection?
DD: I have very loose memories of the time I spent in Brazil, but they are very colorful. Nature there is so explosive&n