Incredibly fake
The great art of costume jewelry in a stunningly beautiful collection.
Discover the glamorous history of costume jewelry through the An extraordinary collection by Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. At the beginning of the 20th century, New York became the center of costume jewelry design as jewelers fled war-torn Europe to America and rebuilt their craft. Their expertise catapulted the city to the forefront of the fashion world and ushered in an era of bold, beautiful, and affordable costume jewelry.
This volume, featuring texts by Carol Woolton and Maria Luisa Frisa, who captured the collector's personal perspective in interviews with Patrizia, presents nearly 600 of the most exquisite pieces from the 1930s to the new millennium. It tells the story of the democratization of jewelry, which went hand in hand with the increasing number of women discovering striking accessories and gaining a new freedom in fashion. Beyond their beauty, showcased in Luciano Romano's detailed photographs, these pieces embodied rebellion and change: they adorned Hollywood's greatest icons and became symbols of identity and creativity.
This book reveals how visionary designers and cultural movements have shaped costume jewelry in every era, reflecting the artistic, economic, and social changes of their time. Innovative materials like Lucite and Bakelite, along with the use of vibrant, tropical colors, inspired new waves of design. The remarkable artistry of designers, who incorporated intricate details and striking motifs into their often avant-garde creations, blurred the line between fine, "real" jewelry and costume jewelry. Accessories thus became wearable art. An indispensable source of inspiration for collectors, designers, and jewelry enthusiasts alike.
The artist
Renowned photographer Luciano Romano combines his passion for visual storytelling with his experience in theater and architecture to create striking, staged photographs. He is the winner of the Atlante Italiano 003 -Prize 2003 and the Strategia Fotografia In 2022, he exhibited at the 10th International Architecture Biennale in Venice, and his works can be seen in important museum collections worldwide.
The authors
Carol Woolton is an author, broadcaster and contributing editor at British Vogue. She's the founder of the podcast If Jewels Could Talk and co-founder of The Leopards, a charitable initiative that works to nurture inclusivity, and mentor young people into the industry. She's written widely on the subject, having published eight books covering a broad spectrum of styles, from antique, historic jewels to contemporary pieces.
Fashion critic and curator Maria Luisa Frisa is a professor at the IUAV University in Venice, where she founded the Fashion Design and Multimedia Art program. She has curated numerous exhibitions and authored many exhibition catalogues. Her recent publications include the monograph *Le forme della moda. Cultura, industria, mercato, comunicazione * (2022) and the anthology *I Racconti della moda * (2024).
Hardcover: 26.9 x 33.6 cm, 4.52 kg, 528 pages
Edition: Multilingual (German, English, French)
Incredibly fake
The great art of costume jewelry in a stunningly beautiful collection.
Discover the glamorous history of costume jewelry through the An extraordinary collection by Patrizia Sandretto Re Rebaudengo. At the beginning of the 20th century, New York became the center of costume jewelry design as jewelers fled war-torn Europe to America and rebuilt their craft. Their expertise catapulted the city to the forefront of the fashion world and ushered in an era of bold, beautiful, and affordable costume jewelry.
This volume, featuring texts by Carol Woolton and Maria Luisa Frisa, who captured the collector's personal perspective in interviews with Patrizia, presents nearly 600 of the most exquisite pieces from the 1930s to the new millennium. It tells the story of the democratization of jewelry, which went hand in hand with the increasing number of women discovering striking accessories and gaining a new freedom in fashion. Beyond their beauty, showcased in Luciano Romano's detailed photographs, these pieces embodied rebellion and change: they adorned Hollywood's greatest icons and became symbols of identity and creativity.
This book reveals how visionary designers and cultural movements have shaped costume jewelry in every era, reflecting the artistic, economic, and social changes of their time. Innovative materials like Lucite and Bakelite, along with the use of vibrant, tropical colors, inspired new waves of design. The remarkable artistry of designers, who incorporated intricate details and striking motifs into their often avant-garde creations, blurred the line between fine, "real" jewelry and costume jewelry. Accessories thus became wearable art. An indispensable source of inspiration for collectors, designers, and jewelry enthusiasts alike.
The artist
Renowned photographer Luciano Romano combines his passion for visual storytelling with his experience in theater and architecture to create striking, staged photographs. He is the winner of the Atlante Italiano 003 -Prize 2003 and the Strategia Fotografia In 2022, he exhibited at the 10th International Architecture Biennale in Venice, and his works can be seen in important museum collections worldwide.
The authors
Carol Woolton is an author, broadcaster and contributing editor at British Vogue. She's the founder of the podcast If Jewels Could Talk and co-founder of The Leopards, a charitable initiative that works to nurture inclusivity, and mentor young people into the industry. She's written widely on the subject, having published eight books covering a broad spectrum of styles, from antique, historic jewels to contemporary pieces.
Fashion critic and curator Maria Luisa Frisa is a professor at the IUAV University in Venice, where she founded the Fashion Design and Multimedia Art program. She has curated numerous exhibitions and authored many exhibition catalogues. Her recent publications include the monograph *Le forme della moda. Cultura, industria, mercato, comunicazione * (2022) and the anthology *I Racconti della moda * (2024).
Hardcover: 26.9 x 33.6 cm, 4.52 kg, 528 pages
Edition: Multilingual (German, English, French)
In the heart of Hamburg