PARIS–At Café de Flore in the Saint-Germain area of Paris, BACO’s Paris Editor Marianne Dorell chatted with the two creative minds behind the Rome based jewelry brand Co.Ro.
Costanza De Cecco and Giulia Giannini were in Paris last week to present their work at Première Classe, a tradeshow that showcases next season’s accessory trends. Truly in love with the French capital, the two designers discussed architecture, inspiration and the upcoming development of their brand.
Giulia wore a necklace composed of multiple silver Mediterranean houses, while Costanza wore the duo’s most representative piece on her wrist: the Gas39 bracelet is inspired by a gasometer (or a gas holder), which she says is a tribute to the industrial side of Rome. For Costanza, this beautiful geometric object made in pink gold, plated bronze, conjures Rome’s hip, bustling Ostiense nabe, which lies just south of the city’s center. The Ostiense neighborhood is full of factories and warehouses that not too long ago, suffered from neglect. Now these sites are being renovated and the area is quickly becoming the capital’s “Williamsburg.”
It is not a surprise to learn that the two designers both studied architecture.
“Studying architecture really blew our minds and helped us to conceptualize space and measurement in a totally different way than if we had only studied jewelry,” explained Giulia.
Their jewels are often inspired by buildings, from the vacation villas of Positano to the ancient temples that dot Caput Mundi.
“It is great to be able to give a tribute to buildings we admire and that don’t enjoy the attention they deserve,” Costanza pointed out, adding that her city’s Palazzetto dello Sport, which was built in Rome in 1960 by Pier Luigi Nervi inspired a ring.
The duo designs the entire collection, which is produced in their shop and workshop, which is located near the Colosseum.
True partners in crime, they met in the highschool, an experience that lent its name to the brand : Collegio Romano (Co.ro). They started out by making small pieces for their friends – modeling them with wax. After gaining some experience by working and designing for the the jeweler Bernard Delettrez, they launch their own brand in 2011.
During Premiere Classe, the geometric shapes of their jewels stood out.
“We like to use freshwater pearls, which is very common in the most traditional jewelry and to twist them with very geometric lines,” explained Giulia.
Lately, they are “having fun” with enamel and developing new colors to ornament their creation. Their jewel is made mainly in 925 silver, bronze gold-plating or with rhodium — with prices ranging from EUR100 to 250 for the rings and from EUR100 to 400 for the bracelets and necklaces.
www.corojewels.com
Via dei Capocci 97
Rione Monti 00184 Rome
