Carolina Bucci
Encyclopedia
Carolina Bucci is a jewelry designer and synonymous jewelry brand. Originally from Florence
, Italy, Carolina Bucci now lives in London, UK.
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, and then Jewelry Design at Fashion Institute of Technology
. On leaving F.I.T. Carolina worked for the American jewelry design company, Penny Preville, and did freelance design work for companies such as Graff Diamonds
. In the meantime, she began to design some pieces under her own name that were quickly picked up by Fragments, a jewelry store and showroom in Soho, New York.
's character wore one throughout the last series of Sex and the City
, they became a favorite of journalists as well as celebrities, and soon after Neiman Marcus
introduced the brand nationwide in the US.
featured a photograph of Salma Hayek
wearing a Carolina Bucci necklace on its front cover, and asked the jewelry designer for a UK retailer to provide in the magazine listings. Not yet having one, Carolina flew to London with a wishlist of stores to approach. Top of that list was the prestigious Browns (fashion boutique)
which agreed to trial the collections and remains a stockist. The next international retailer that Bucci developed on that same trip was designer Matthew Williamson
after she recognized him in a restaurant and asked him if he had ever considered selling jewelry alongside his clothes. He set up an appointment for Bucci with his head buyer and her collections were available in his Bruton Street store shortly after. The jewelry is now available worldwide in stores such as Harrods
, Bergdorf Goodman
, Holt Renfrew
, Lane Crawford
, Colette
, and, following a permanent move to London in 2004, Bucci opened the first Carolina Bucci flagship store in 2007 in Belgravia
. The second Carolina Bucci store opened in the summer of 2011 in the luxury marina development, Porto Montenegro
.
, and in 2009, with Global Action for Children
. 2010's collaboration is with (RED)
with profits going to The Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Museo degli Argenti, Florence.
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External Links
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Official Site
How to Spend It Bespoke Article
WaterAid
Global Action for Children
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, Italy, Carolina Bucci now lives in London, UK.
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Education and Background
Carolina Bucci's family have manufactured fine gold jewelry in Florence, Italy since 1885. She grew up in Florence and was exposed to the family business from an early age, until aged 18 she left for New York where she studied Studio Arts at Marymount Manhattan CollegeMarymount Manhattan College
Marymount Manhattan College is an urban, coeducational, independent, private, liberal arts college located in Manhattan, New York City, New York with a focus in performing arts. The mission of the College is to educate a socially and economically diverse student body by fostering intellectual...
, and then Jewelry Design at Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
. On leaving F.I.T. Carolina worked for the American jewelry design company, Penny Preville, and did freelance design work for companies such as Graff Diamonds
Graff Diamonds
- History :It was founded in London by Laurence Graff in the 1960s and now has worldwide operations which range from cutting the raw stones and manufacture of jewelry to the final retailing from their 26 boutiques...
. In the meantime, she began to design some pieces under her own name that were quickly picked up by Fragments, a jewelry store and showroom in Soho, New York.
Woven Jewelry and Friendship Bracelets
The first collection that Carolina Bucci designed used a technique of weaving gold and silk threads on an adapted textile loom that had previously been used to weave Renaissance Florentine fabrics. This has gone on to become the signature collection of Carolina Bucci and was the technique used in 2002 to create gold and silk friendship bracelets, which have become her most recognizable pieces. Simply double-knotted on the wrist, these were a response to the threaded friendship bracelets that children in Italy exchange in the summer on the beach. After Sarah Jessica ParkerSarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
's character wore one throughout the last series of Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
, they became a favorite of journalists as well as celebrities, and soon after Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
introduced the brand nationwide in the US.
International Expansion
In 2003 UK VogueVogue (British magazine)
The British edition of Vogue is a fashion magazine that has been published since 1916.When British Vogue was launched, it was the first overseas edition of an existing fashion magazine. Under the magazine's first editor, Elspeth Champcommunal, the magazine was essentially the same as the American...
featured a photograph of Salma Hayek
Salma Hayek
Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez de Pinault is a Mexican film actress, director and producer. She received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress for her role as Frida Kahlo in the film Frida.-Early life:...
wearing a Carolina Bucci necklace on its front cover, and asked the jewelry designer for a UK retailer to provide in the magazine listings. Not yet having one, Carolina flew to London with a wishlist of stores to approach. Top of that list was the prestigious Browns (fashion boutique)
Browns (fashion boutique)
Browns is an independent fashion boutique in London, United Kingdom. It was founded by Joan Burstein and husband Sidney in 1970. The flagship store on London's South Molton Street is famous for its long window displays, which once featured John Galliano's graduate collection.-History:Joan Burstein...
which agreed to trial the collections and remains a stockist. The next international retailer that Bucci developed on that same trip was designer Matthew Williamson
Matthew Williamson
Matthew Williamson is an English fashion designer. His collections often have an Indian influence, perhaps related to the time Williamson spent working in India for the clothing store Monsoon...
after she recognized him in a restaurant and asked him if he had ever considered selling jewelry alongside his clothes. He set up an appointment for Bucci with his head buyer and her collections were available in his Bruton Street store shortly after. The jewelry is now available worldwide in stores such as Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
, Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury goods department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son Andrew Goodman....
, Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew
Holt Renfrew is a chain of high-end Canadian department stores. It is comparable to Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue in the United States, and to two other upmarket chains owned by the same family, Britain's Selfridges and Ireland's Brown Thomas...
, Lane Crawford
Lane Crawford
Lane Crawford is a retailing company with specialty stores selling designer label luxury goods in Hong Kong and Beijing, China....
, Colette
Colette (boutique)
Colette is a concept store and the preeminent Parisian fashion and style boutique founded in March 1997 by Colette Roussaux and her daughter, Sarah Lerfel. It is located at no...
, and, following a permanent move to London in 2004, Bucci opened the first Carolina Bucci flagship store in 2007 in Belgravia
Belgravia
Belgravia is a district of central London in the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Noted for its immensely expensive residential properties, it is one of the wealthiest districts in the world...
. The second Carolina Bucci store opened in the summer of 2011 in the luxury marina development, Porto Montenegro
Porto Montenegro
Porto Montenegro is a Luxury yacht marina and adjacent waterfront development currently under construction in Tivat, Montenegro.The construction site was a naval shipyard named Arsenal, which fell into disuse after the Yugoslav Wars and the decline of the SFR Yugoslav Navy...
.
Charitable Collaborations
For the past few years Carolina Bucci has produced an annual limited edition collection designed to benefit a selected charity. In 2008, the collaboration was with WaterAidWaterAid
WaterAid is an international non-profit organisation set up as a response to the UN International Drinking Water & Sanitation decade . WaterAid is dedicated to helping people escape the poverty and disease caused by living without safe water and sanitation. It is based in London, England and was...
, and in 2009, with Global Action for Children
Global Action for Children
Global Action for Children was an organization that generated awareness, policies and funding so every child has the chance to grow up safe and healthy...
. 2010's collaboration is with (RED)
Product Red
Product Red, styled as RED, is a brand licensed to partner companies such as Nike, American Express , Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, Bugaboo, Penguin Classics , Gap, Emporio Armani, Hallmark and Dell...
with profits going to The Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa.
Palazzo Pitti
A selection of pieces from Carolina Bucci's collections are in the permanent collection of the Palazzo PittiPalazzo Pitti
The Palazzo Pitti , in English sometimes called the Pitti Palace, is a vast mainly Renaissance palace in Florence, Italy. It is situated on the south side of the River Arno, a short distance from the Ponte Vecchio...
Museo degli Argenti, Florence.
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External Links
----
Official Site
How to Spend It Bespoke Article
WaterAid
Global Action for Children