Each colored gemstone possesses unique and exquisite qualities. Under the avant-garde colors and unique Italian aesthetic perspective of Villa Milano’s creations, combined with traditional exquisite craftsmanship, they have achieved jewelry pieces that can be passed down through generations. The exquisite works of the Villa Milano series will be exclusively available at JOYCE Pacific Place flagship store from now until the end of August.
The jewelry brand Villa Milano, since 1876, has always upheld exquisite craftsmanship and a grand and elegant style, enjoying a great reputation internationally. Today, as the fifth generation successors of the brand, sisters Alice and Francesca focus on using color and design as new concepts. Each piece is still created in the Milan studio, continuing their family’s century-old tradition with passion and innovative spirit.
This exclusive collection, available only at JOYCE, perfectly showcases the brand’s unique signature elements with its vibrant and eye-catching cocktail rings and pendant earrings. The earrings are adorned with precious colored gemstones, including emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and aquamarines, all set in 18K gold. This collection combines elegance and sophistication with a fresh and distinctive style, making it suitable for any outfit, whether for everyday wear or special occasions, and adding a touch of Milan’s iconic colors.
The fifth generation heir of the brand, Alice Villa, recently came to Hong Kong in person to meet everyone. During the event, she shared some stories about the brand and herself with ZTYLEZ, and also showcased the brand’s collection of design drafts.
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ZTYLEZ: Can you share some information about your background and how you initially got into the jewelry industry?
Alice Villa: My father’s family has been in the jewelry business since 1876. I am now the 5th generation, and my maternal grandfather was also a jeweler. So, I have been surrounded by the world of jewelry since birth. I graduated with a degree in economics and after gaining some work experience, I entered the industry in this direction. In fact, on my 18th birthday, I created my first piece of jewelry, a pair of earrings. I spent a lot of time on jewelry creation and sought advice from my working father and grandfather. I would say that the jewelry industry has always been my destiny.
ZTYLEZ: As the fifth generation heir of Villa Milano, what is your biggest challenge? And how do you overcome these difficulties?
Alice Villa: Each generation faces different challenges, and for me, the biggest challenge is being a young woman working with people who have known me since I was born due to our background connections. This environment can be a bit tricky, so there is definitely some pressure at the beginning. Additionally, the majority of gemstone dealers or those in the jewelry industry are men, so working as a woman in this environment has its difficulties. There is still a lot for me to learn, but at the same time, I have to run the company and make decisions for the brand, which are the challenges I am currently facing.
ZTYLEZ: How would you describe the brand’s aesthetics and the women who wear Villa Milano jewelry?
Alice Villa: I would say our style is “Milanese”. To explain what it means to be a “Milanese” woman, they are understated but still love color, just like you can see from the colorful designs in our brand. They never go overboard when styling their outfits, but there is always a captivating element. It’s like when wearing our jewelry, it stands out in the overall look. I’ve noticed that Hong Kong women and Milanese women have this in common, they both have a relatively low-profile dressing style, don’t often wear high heels, but still love to wear some jewelry accessories to highlight their outfits and improve their mood.
ZTYLEZ: Can you share some of your design inspirations? What are the unique features of the jewelry collection exclusively available at JOYCE this time?
Alice Villa: Sometimes I am a designer, and sometimes I am a creator. When creating jewelry, I start with gemstones as a design point, and I also start creating with materials as inspiration. I also refer to the traditional DNA from the brand’s collection of drafts and incorporate contemporary elements. We boldly use different innovative materials, such as the aluminum metal on my index finger, which is not commonly seen in traditional jewelry. Each colored gemstone is also unique, and our works are centered around highlighting its uniqueness. When gemstones or strong colors are the focus of the work, we use a relatively simple setting method for balance. Although the size is not small at all, it is glamorous without being flashy. The jewelry available at JOYCE this time mainly includes the Micromosaic and Gothic series. The Micromosaic series presents the main stone with a tight setting method, and the metal used has been specially polished to become as deep as black, making it less noticeable on the ring and giving the main stone a suspended feeling. The other Gothic series is inspired by the Milan Cathedral Duomo, which is a famous landmark in Milan, and incorporates Gothic architecture into the design.
