Original Passion is in the beings of designers and SME’s in the fashion world who presented their dreams and wares at Origin Passion and Belief in Fiera di Vicenza in mid-May 2014 – the theme being ‘Where the pioneers of fashion meet the experts in Italian manufacturing’.
What illusion is it that causes a designer to accept the death of his or her fashion statement at the end of each season and pursue another new universe for the new season- a brave new world? These exhibitors have sought this insecurity and challenge to fame, and their efforts deserve to be recorded with our impressions of their work in a few notable cameos.
With shells brought from the Caribbean and far flung seas, a heritage unchanged since the time of Columbus, the three generations of carvers from family Diluca and cameo artists at Cameo Italiano in Caserta produce the cameos by hand, chipping away at the shell by hand with bulino and engravers to create their original passion, beautiful and unique images that obey the rules of true art – ‘only God can create perfection’.
Among a smattering of antipodean designers, all of whom stood out through their individuality and fearless exhibitionism, was Vanessa Emirian, whose designs for women take us back to Katherine Hepburn, or for some, the Wizard of Oz.
Her especially feminine polka dot creations and display of soft pinks, that she wears with style and pride, bely her parental Greek heritage, and promote her individuality, her original passion.
The Andy Henson collection of silver jewellery comes from the slopes overlooking Bondi Beach in Sydney, though the styles are far from surf driven, and Andy has abandoned the joys of Sydney beaches for the more cosmopolitan Melbourne. To balance the statement-making stark and forthright designs, Andy and Brent Gold have created a line of black kangaroo leather bags.
When we espied Orsola Mainardis with her colourful necklaces and handbags I was inspired alliterally to recall the legend of Ozymandias, king of kings, and lines from the poem of Shelley:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Yet, despite this rather pessimistic statement on the fashion world, the jewellery of Orsola Mainardis draws on the sands of the past and on the history of glass, as she creates necklaces and a range of exciting harmonically balanced handbags based on traditional colours of glass ‘pearls’ from Murano.
D’orica, the now famed Nove based goldsmith, also draws on pearls, in this case their tiny golden pearls facetted to shine like diamonds. For Origin, D’orica launched its inspiring range of silk and gold jewellery. Designed and created by Daniela Raccanello, these unique works of jewellery art, marvelous necklaces, collars, bracelets and belts, utilize pure Italian silk produced The Fair Silk Way woven with D’orica gold pearls.
The D’orica exhibition was the stand-out success of Origin, with its centre-piece Mulberry tree and the production of silk from eggs to happily munching silkworms, to cocoons, reeled filament and then yarn demonstrated around the tree-trunk – and topped off by pieces from Daniela’s original passion collection worn by the ladies.
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