Vendorafa has turned 70 and to celebrate this landmark year the Italian brand has raided its archives, selecting iconic designs and revisiting them to create the ultimate 21st-century collection, paying homage to heritage and artisan craftsmanship.
Italian brand Vendorafa, launched in 1951 by Mario Lombardi and his brother, has established itself as a leader in gold jewelry. The Valenza-based artisans in Piedmont have been creating sculptural and sophisticated jewels using traditional techniques including hammering, etching and engraving, for the past 70 years.
To celebrate this milestone anniversary, creative director Daniela Lombardi, Mario’s daughter, has launched Vendorafa70, a limited edition that revisits the house’s iconic styles.
What aspects of Vendorafa heritage are celebrated in the Vendorafa70 collection? Which previous series does it reference?
I selected the Margherite, Fireworks, Pebbles, Foglie, Hula Hoop, Segno and Bamboo collections with various textures, finishes and techniques, including our hand-hammering, etching, embossing and repetition.
Each piece in Vendorafa70 involved the study of the size, scale, detail or concept [of the original pieces] and determining a new dimension, scale or position as the starting point for a unique high jewelry piece. I varied perspectives and changed materials and colors in addition to scale, incorporating a range of stones, to realize each edition.
While the computer enhances our abilities to see 3D visions in advance, I still sketch each piece and we use the same molds, files, spatulas and hammers and old-world methodologies used by my father, a master goldsmith. All the same skills are employed in these pieces 70 years later.
Working with our artisans and handmade processes, each is created to be its own work of wearable art. No two pieces will be identical in the series, this is also a key point of our brand heritage with every collection at retail. Each artisan has his signature as his stroke, angle and pressure is applied from tool to the metal in any combination of treatments or settings.
These have always been Vendorafa Lombardi’s trademark; the fully handmade workmanship even modifies and enhances the light and aesthetic warmth of the gold so it has a specific color in our pieces that is very unique.
In Vendorafa70, Margherite and Hula Hoop both have texture and shine, which is accomplished with a two-part process. First a series of tools and hand movements delicately shape the surface for the texture. Then, wax covers the work for a high polish treatment to achieve both brilliance and matte in one piece, connecting the treatments seamlessly at an apex point on one continuous piece of gold.
When creating our ideas for Vendorafa70, I looked at the collections from each decade to find pieces that were special, but that could also be translated into something even more amazing on a grand scale. I was looking for an extraordinary moment; a signature element within a collection that marked a key part of our identity or left a certain impression.
Which piece was the most challenging to create?
Each presented unique challenges, but the Bamboo cuff was the most challenging. Bold cuffs are one of our signature styles so combining a Bamboo piece and this scale felt right for the 70 edition. This piece has a strong connection to nature in design and color, and it is also a representation of our efforts in sustainability.
For this cuff, entirely crafted by hand, I selected a very special stone called prase, because of its color and its particular brown veining. It best represented the distinct finish of the natural cane of the plant, almost a wood-like finish. Searching for the right shaped pieces of stone to fit perfectly on each curved segment for this intricate design was very daunting and time consuming. Each prase segment is different and each needed to find its perfect partner to fit. Sorting through to find the ideal matches was an enormous puzzle to start before final shaping and placing.
Then I added correlating gemstones including champagne diamonds, emeralds, peridot, tsavorites and green tourmaline in different sizes and very specific complementary tones. Each stone was hand selected and handset, which was also a complex process. I needed to source the right selection of gems to create the perfect monochromatic shading effect.
How does Vendorafa see itself as the patron of Italian craftsmanship?
Vendorafa was started by my father. We were one of the first brands to take on a high level of fine jewelry by hand when Valenza was becoming a burgeoning jewelry hub in the 1950s.
We became known for the high quality and intricate craftsmanship of our pieces. Our exclusive hand-hammered techniques and manipulation of gold has persevered. The same tools, techniques, materials and traditions still continue.
As [our reputation spread], we became the official manufacturer and producer of some of the most important names in jewelry in addition to our own independent designs. We explored new innovations and trained our artisans to become master goldsmiths.
We are one of the few original fine gold brands who have remained in the region and continue to keep our practice based on the same tenets and principles, with second and third generation artisans continuing the work.
Even our headquarters reflects our leadership. The square-shaped design and structure of our headquarters atelier, factory and offices, designed in 1968 [by well-known architect Ignazio Gardella], is mentioned in Volume II of the Italian Sciences Encyclopedia De Agostini as the first example of a laboratory designed for master goldsmith production.
And we are doing our part to perpetuate our art for future generations by taking a leadership role in a foundation for training and scholarships. My husband, our CEO [Augusto Ungarelli], is also working with the Italian Trade Agency (ITA) to take an active role in the promotion of Made in Italy.
What is next for Vendorafa?
To design and create at this level for our brand and for some of the most important global names in fine jewelry is a privilege we do not take for granted.
Looking ahead, we also reflect on this difficult period as an emblematic badge of how tough and tenacious we are as a family, team, company and industry. We will resume shows globally and are excited to travel and visit our clients after our year of virtual.
As a new part of the Pedemonte group, since being acquired a year ago [June 2020], we look forward to the opportunity for a more global operation for the Vendorafa brand. With a greater capacity for production, we are planning expansion in our key markets and opening new territories.
We will also continue to implement and integrate the newest, highly technological advances in machinery, avant-garde computer systems, rapid prototyping and 3D modeling with our hand processing and specific techniques, so we are able to streamline our processes and optimize production as we continue to expand and grow.
And we intend to continue to identify, train and inspire the next generation of master goldsmiths with our work supporting the Fondazione Mani Intelligenti.
Unfortunately, we have been seeing a decline in the entries into our field and a generational gap in the artisans with the specific training and expertise. If it continues, this could compromise the overall sustainability and talent base – not only for our brand and Vendorafa leadership, but the entire production system of high-end Italian jewelry.
It is important to our legacy that we help to ensure that our made-in-Italy techniques and quality from Valenza, which have been renowned around the world for the past seven decades, continue. A lot of work is ahead, but we are ready for the next 70 years!
Main image: Fireworks70 brooch.
Comments are closed.