1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,340 Welcome to the GiltT rips podcast. I'm your host, Kendra Lockhart. As a goldsmith and 2 00:00:11,340 --> 00:00:17,560 gemologist, I'll be speaking 24 carat on all things jewelry, metals, and gems. Join 3 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:24,080 me plus a few friends to demystify both materials and designs as your private jeweler. Let's 4 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:34,360 tune in on these topics and get golden. Today I discuss Elsa Peretti, Tiffany's first female 5 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:40,080 collaborative artist and top-selling designer of the company's history. Each year, 10% of 6 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:46,800 purchases are attributed to her artistry. Let's talk about the overview of her road to success 7 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:52,240 and revolution within the jewelry industry, her signature collections through the years, 8 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:58,280 and career achievements. Then we'll talk about Elsa's backstory and her most iconic piece 9 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:04,440 and how she ended up turning jewelry design, Tiffany's, women's adornments, and the use 10 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:11,880 of materials into a brand new direction. Attraction is instinctive, she claimed. Elsa 11 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:18,760 personified a self-possessed and highly observational drive regarding form and aesthetic. Before 12 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:24,720 her debut of Fine Accessories, she had been an art model for Salvador Dali, an architecture 13 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:31,520 aficionado in Barcelona, nature lover and intense observer during childhood in Italy, 14 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:37,760 and muse in New York to her fashion house of Halston. He had asked her to design a container 15 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:44,800 for his fragrance, quote, so recognizable, I don't want to put my name on it, end quote. 16 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:51,920 Elsa understood the assignment. While making accessories for a handful of fashion designers, 17 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:57,320 it was Giorgio de Sant'Angelo's show that featured her bottle necklace, which immediately 18 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:04,040 sold out. Back in her homeland, women wore fragrant gardenians in the evening. Elsa wanted 19 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:09,720 a way to preserve the floral beauty instead of it wilting throughout the night, thereby 20 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:17,680 combining an artful object into a wearable solution. In 1974, Tiffany and company would 21 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:24,200 offer her an exclusive contract for collaboration. And that collection would also sell out, beginning 22 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:32,280 to establish a mind that could generate originality, distinctiveness and timelessness. That, over 23 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:38,360 several decades in collections, would make her the legend that we know her as today. 24 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:46,520 Let's go into some of her collections. Open heart. This was designed and inspired after 25 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:53,120 a Henry Moore sculpture, where the negative space of her semi amorphous silhouette subtracted 26 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:59,000 the sophomoric meaning of a heart and matured it into its romantic implication. She said 27 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:05,880 it was ours to fill in. This would be her most famous series, floating on a silver chain 28 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:13,600 or suspended with silk. The bone collection would be an overlay on our own anatomy. And 29 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:20,800 this bracelet series was the perfect metallisizing of our own body. Elsa drew from the bone she 30 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:25,760 collected as a child and carried around in her pocket, creating back then a deep and 31 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:32,840 intimate study of our structure long before designing these pieces. The forbidden stays 32 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:40,000 with you forever, she said. The rattlesnake, scorpion and claw designs combined danger with 33 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:47,320 sexiness, in fluid form and full articulation for sensual movement. It seemed to be an odd 34 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:53,840 to memento mori, pieces that inspired carpe diem in our psyche, as we should be living 35 00:03:53,840 --> 00:04:02,560 for the moment since tomorrow is never guaranteed. The mesh collection. Elsa had gone to Jaipur 36 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:08,400 and returned with the desire to make metal into fabric for it to flow and drape. This 37 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:15,040 would be a return to her roots in the movement of clothing. And she hadn't minded a dash 38 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:21,680 of controversy when she created an 18 karat bra, which was worn first on Halston's runway 39 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:30,240 in 1975. And again in 2019, modeled by Zoe Kravitz at an after Oscars party, cementing 40 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:39,200 the modernness of the creation. Diamonds by the yard. Before Elsa's interpretation, diamonds 41 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:44,920 had been designated for evening attire. She brought them into day and anchored it back 42 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:53,400 into her life in fashion with the by the yard modifier. The collections had no excess detail, 43 00:04:53,400 --> 00:05:01,200 and she made them appropriate for any hour and all outfits. Certain single elements, 44 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:09,400 such as the bean, a totem to a seat of life, the teardrop, her need to face life sorrow 45 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:17,120 with grace, the alphabet collection, a clean, cursive initial series, all of these incorporated 46 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:24,280 aesthetic touch and tails into each item. Even her bangles were respectful of her time 47 00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:32,160 in Asia and utilize Japanese lacquer. Saviana captured a remembered earring element of a 48 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:39,680 flamenco dancer and birthed a sophisticated merger of both metal and stone. She would 49 00:05:39,680 --> 00:05:45,840 go so much further than just jewelry design. Elsa had a talent for tableware, and she would 50 00:05:45,840 --> 00:05:51,280 start with the bone inspired candlesticks as a nod to the altars of the cathedrals from 51 00:05:51,280 --> 00:06:00,520 her youth. The flatware and the sublime thumb prints bowls meant to be held and with a zen 52 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:06,560 imprint from the hand in a single fingers impression. The terracotta home goods elevated 53 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:14,240 earthiness dining would become an artful experience beyond the palette and into our other senses. 54 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:24,560 Her collections embraced a touch to the wearer, a feel of the components, no extraneous flourishing, 55 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:31,440 and an elegance and of course her natural love for the world we see with our eyes. 56 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:38,560 Now as far as Elsa's backstory, let's lead with her quote, I did something for fun and 57 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:45,160 it became successful. This was her formula for happiness. But her origin begins with her 58 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:53,560 birth in the artistic city of Florence, Italy. She was later raised in Rome. Despite her 59 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:59,720 mother's reprimands, Elsa kept human relics from a cathedral which would play into her 60 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:07,200 creative outlook. By age 18, she wrote her father a tense goodbye letter as she was off 61 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:14,440 to Barcelona, becoming a model, sitting for the artist Salvador Dali, and becoming embraced 62 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:22,800 by Spanish creative circles. She would adore the high culture of the architect Gaudi. Eventually, 63 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:28,840 Elsa's modeling agency would ultimately draw her to New York and its celebrityism, glamour, 64 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:35,560 and social scenes. As she established her brand, Elsa would visit as far as Hong Kong 65 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:42,360 to experience the artistic talent and techniques of foreign lands, from Asian symbolism to 66 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:51,160 Indian gems and tones. Her achievement highlights include several design awards through the decades, 67 00:07:51,160 --> 00:07:57,080 a permanent collection in the British Museum, an honorary doctorate from the Fashion Institute 68 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:05,960 of Technology in New York. As she said, I go to Spain to think, I come to New York to act. 69 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:12,120 Elsa's final opus would be restoring a medieval Spanish villa. She had the vision of its serving 70 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:19,600 generations of creators. At age 80, she would peacefully pass her sleep at this home in 71 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:34,400 Catalonia. And now, I'm going to review my iconic piece of her collection, The Bone Cuff. 72 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:39,320 This was an inspiration for a chapter in my career, and here is a summary I did for a 73 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:47,680 training just last month. Today's style spotlight begins behind the world's most branded signature 74 00:08:47,680 --> 00:08:55,440 color, that of none other than Tiffany's, and with Elsa Peretti, the company's best collaborator. 75 00:08:55,440 --> 00:09:02,640 Elsa's signature piece, The Bone Cuff, was launched in 1970. While it was the essence 76 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:09,640 of minimalism, fluidity, tactile quality, and sensuality, the bigger revolution was 77 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:16,720 that she made it in sterling. Silver had until then been considered a commoner medal or practice 78 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:23,920 material for goldsmiths. Celebrity Liza Minnelli famously said when approached to model the bracelet, 79 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:30,800 all I could think of was Albuquerque, until she saw it and made it her exclusive accessory. 80 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:39,040 Meanwhile, back at Tiffany's, the middle class was now purchasing luxury, finally bringing home 81 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:45,440 the symbol of style and sophistication. The world would witness this legendary design be worn by 82 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:54,080 decades of various nationalities and professions. Jewelry is not fashion was one of Elsa's strongest 83 00:09:54,080 --> 00:10:01,680 beliefs, and this piece, The Bone Cuff, through the decades would garner awards, be seen on the 84 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:08,240 runway, launch the career of a costume designer for sex in the city, be worn at the Met Gala, 85 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:16,240 and for its 50th anniversary would appear in the Wonder Woman film sequel in 2020. I owe one of my 86 00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:22,560 greatest goldsmithing achievements to this bracelet. In 2013, My Work with Bone and Silver 87 00:10:22,560 --> 00:10:28,560 was juried into a national show featuring anatomical artists. So thank you, Ms. Peretti. 88 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:36,880 And what is Elsa's legacy? She restored a Spanish village with the goal of it becoming an artist 89 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:43,760 colony with her wealth, thanks to her 30 collections over the years and decades she had created for 90 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:50,800 Tiffany and Company. Her tourist stamina and longevity fueled a brilliant career by eliminating 91 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:58,000 excess and dignifying a metals resource. She wanted to give something to remember and manifested 92 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:05,120 unforgettableness. And that is my review of the career of Elsa Peretti and my favorite piece that 93 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:18,800 she's designed. And now let's discuss the Elsa effect, top five paradigm shifts in our industry 94 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:27,440 and adjacent businesses. The first hero, H.I.R.O., it was her professional photography collaboration. 95 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:33,520 Her ability to be both designer and creative director showed up because she'd been exposed 96 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:39,680 to so many artistic disciplines and she had interest in the media of other makers. Elsa was 97 00:11:39,680 --> 00:11:46,400 able to bring a formidable eye to her collaborations. Mainly, this Japanese photographer Hiro, known 98 00:11:46,400 --> 00:11:53,120 for surreal and unique juxtaposition of unexpected elements. His photographs are noted for their 99 00:11:53,120 --> 00:12:00,320 elegance and clean appearance. He uses uncommon lighting and his hyper colorization is noteworthy 100 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:06,960 and instantly recognizable. My favorite product shots are the rattlesnake necklace on an actual 101 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:14,080 snake and a hand pulling a fish out of Elsa's crystal brandy snifter fishbowl design. 102 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:22,880 Number two, a new look arrives for department stores. Previously, silver would have been a 103 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:28,400 low entry level for purchasers in the usual suspects of major cities. You would not have 104 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:34,480 gone into a department store to find sterling and if you did, such as in Marshall Fields in Chicago 105 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:41,120 or Macy's in New York, you would have been led to the tableware or the bridal registry departments. 106 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:49,360 Now, the fine jewelry areas of places such as Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Barney's, and more 107 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:58,320 would recognize future recognized and rising artists during the mid 80s to today working in silver. 108 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:07,680 Three, Elsa opened a door for other sculptor hyphenate jewelry designers to follow and they were men. 109 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:13,440 Robert Lee Morris would launch a sculpture to wear collection at a gallery in the 70s, 110 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:20,000 which attracted a celebrity following as well as him designing for many fashion houses. 111 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:27,280 David Ehrman's background was in large form metalwork and welding in his youth. His jewelry 112 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:33,760 collections are considered key in the American craft movement and consumers have been conditioned now 113 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:39,920 to see artists moving through different media within or preceding their jewelry careers. 114 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:50,480 Four, the career of Paloma Picasso and her collaboration with Tiffany's. Paloma is the daughter 115 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:57,280 of the renowned artist Picasso. She grew up sitting for her father's work. As an adult, 116 00:13:57,280 --> 00:14:03,440 she was a costume designer in France and some of her rhinestone pieces happened to be well received. 117 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:09,840 This was enough encouragement for her to go and get formal training in the jewelry field. 118 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,600 A year later, she presented her fashion designer friend Yves Saint Laurent, 119 00:14:15,600 --> 00:14:20,640 who immediately commissioned a piece for her collection at the time to be seen on the runway. 120 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:28,160 Paloma would land a job with a jewelry design house and then after that stint go on to work 121 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:36,640 with Tiffany's in 1980. Two of her designs are permanently in museums, one being the Smithsonian 122 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:44,080 and the second being the Field Museum of Natural Gems in Chicago. Her work is bold and strong, 123 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:53,760 more of an 80s woman than an else's 70s woman, but definitely an homage that matches from a female 124 00:14:53,760 --> 00:15:03,040 creating for a modern female wearer. Fifth and last, the secondary market. With Elsa having 125 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:08,640 created over 30 collections for Tiffany's and still being their top selling artist to date, 126 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:15,520 there is a strong demand for her work, even pre-owned as a result of her having such a distinctive, 127 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:22,080 modern and sensual look and elements that complement a vast variety of styles and 128 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:29,440 occasions. We see a very strong sell-through on her sterling on digital platforms or e-commerce 129 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:38,080 opportunities such as The Real Real, which as of this episode is featuring over 150 items from 130 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:48,080 all different series and commanding anywhere over 50% and up to 80% of MSRP or what we know better 131 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:56,720 as retail pricing. If you found this interesting and wish to see behind the scenes or the mood 132 00:15:56,720 --> 00:16:02,960 board of images or my talking points, please go ahead and visit the Patreon page and the link of 133 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:16,320 that will be listed in the show notes. It was a pleasure having you with me today, not only reviewing 134 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:22,320 jewelry's most successful designer who happens to be female and my favorite piece that she's done 135 00:16:22,320 --> 00:16:33,360 for America's most iconic jeweler Tiffany and Company. Thank you for listening and learning with me. 136 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:38,480 I would love you to share this project with people finding rear beauty in today's world and throughout 137 00:16:38,480 --> 00:16:48,480 our times. Until the next episode, keep your own stories sparkling.