Cover Pomellato creative director Vincenzo Castaldo
Pomellato creative director Vincenzo Castaldo
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The creative director of Pomellato shares the inspiration behind the brand’s latest high jewellery collection, The Dualism of Milan
Earlier this June, Tatler Singapore travelled to Milan, Italy, for the launch of Pomellato’s latest high jewellery collection, The Dualism of Milan. The collection comprises 51 handcrafted masterpieces, which were presented through a captivating video and a spectacular model show during a gala dinner held at Milan’s historic Museo della Permanente.
Given that Pomellato was founded in Milan in 1967, each creation in the collection was a breathtaking testament to the soul of the city and to the brand’s deep-rooted connection to its homeland. To learn more about the inspiration and creativity behind The Dualism of Milan, Tatler Singapore sat down for an interview with the brand’s creative director, Vincenzo Castaldo.
In case you missed it: Pomellato’s latest high jewellery collection showcases The Dualism of Milan
Above Vincenzo Castaldo
Vincenzo Castaldo
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What inspired Pomellato’s new high jewellery collection?
Milan is always very inspiring for us. There are two souls in Milan. When you first arrive in Milan, you can perceive the beauty of the city and the buildings. I’ll define this part as more concrete, more solid, more institutional. But if you live here, you start to recognise another soul of Milan that expresses creativity—in fashion, in design, and in art. So there’s this contrast and, for me, here lies the beauty of Milan: in opposites that exist in perfect harmony.
How do these two sides of Milan manifest in the collection?
On one hand, for the chapter Milan’s Monochromatic Treasures, we have jewels inspired by architecture and geometries, while on the other hand for Milanese Colour Prism, the designs are more sensual and colour is the true protagonist. We really want to celebrate, play with and give voice to colour here, and it’s not so much about structure or construction.
Above Pomellato The Dualism of Milan Spinelli di Fuoco necklace
Pomellato The Dualism of Milan Spinelli di Fuoco necklace
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What were some specific design inspirations from Milan?
In Milan’s Monochromatic Treasures, I was absolutely inspired by the view of the dome of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II during a romantic walk at midnight because it’s totally dark. Also, the beautiful symmetry of the central line of the UniCredit Tower designed by César Pelli. Another inspiration was Gio Ponti, who’s a very important Italian architect who worked in Milan in the late 1950s, after the Second World War.
What were some of the most challenging pieces to create?
The Spinelli di Fuoco necklace from the Milanese Colour Prism chapter was very challenging because we had to manage more than 200 stones to create a fringe-like design that not only would enhance the beauty of the stones but also form a shape that’s beautiful, fluid and pleasing. It was our first time designing this type of fringe necklace as well so it was very demanding and took nine months to develop.
Above Vincenzo Castaldo
Vincenzo Castaldo
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This is your fifth high jewellery collection with Pomellato. How has your approach to high jewellery evolved since the start?
We started in a very humble way with the first collection. But our idea was very clear from the start in terms of where we wanted to take Pomellato in the high jewellery field. We want to create something that’s really connected to our roots, to our heritage, and to our aesthetic codes. We want to create a kind of high jewellery, which is not so intimidating, which can be worn every day, as well as on a particular occasion. It’s an expression of our Pomellato philosophy and, with every collection, we get closer to and better at expressing this, thanks to our constantly improving craftsmanship and savoir faire.
What do you hope clients will experience when they wear this collection?
I hope that they will feel happy to find what they are looking for. I’m sure that they’ll appreciate all the work behind every single piece because the clients really [do] pay attention to every single detail. They’re very sensitive about the colour of the stone so we are on the same page. They really appreciate the effort, the research, and all the savoir faire that we’ve infused into every single jewel.
Credits
Images: Pomellat
Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
