Lucrezia Buccellati grew up around glittering diamonds and centuries-old techniques of jewellery craftsmanship – her family founded fine-jewellery brand Buccellati, an Italian brand dating back to 1919 and famously known for their exquisite detail and painstaking methodology dating back to the Renaissance. A fourth-generation Buccellati, Lucrezia became the first female designer of the house when she took the role of Co-creative Director alongside her father Andrea in 2014, and she has been unstoppable ever since.
We spoke to the designer about her journey as a female jewellery designer and how she looks to the future while respecting heritage and tradition.
What has the journey been like for you as a jewellery designer?
As a kid I always knew I wanted to be in the artistic creative world. After school, I took some time to really figure out who I wanted to be and after a few different experiences in jewellery, fashion and travelling I came back to Milan and knew that I wanted to be a jewellery designer. Especially when you grow up in a family business you want to make sure that you really love what you do.
As a female designer taking over the family business, what are you doing differently than your father?
My father and I work very closely together on designs. I love the fact that we have different thoughts when we create a collection. Merging our ideas together usually always ends up creating something spectacular. We have a strong partnership, and this is how Buccellati has been able to evolve into the future while maintaining a strong and unique identity.
What makes a female designer relate better to jewellery lovers? What kind of woman do you design for in your mind?
As a woman, I can relate more to our clientele. When I design, I’m inspired by the modern women of today: sophisticated, independent women who want to wear jewellery effortlessly. When I design a piece, I think of how many ways I could wear it, with what I could style it with and if it’s something that fits in my daily lifestyle. Of course, these aren’t the points that I would necessarily consider for our one-of-a-kind pieces.
Having the fortune to embark on a career of passion, what advice do you give to other aspiring designers to pursue their dreams?
It’s very important to get as much experience as you can. Work in different sectors of the business so you can get as much knowledge of this industry and also never give up and believe in yourself.
Is female empowerment important in your field of work and how do you help create a workplace that is conducive to gender equality?
In every field women empowerment is important. Our team is very balanced and this makes us even stronger.
What values do you live by?
Kindness, integrity, authenticity, generosity, creativity and freedom.
Who are your female role models and why?
My female role models are all the women that are successful in life. This success is not solely determined by their career, but their success in all challenges that a woman can have in her life. They are all a big inspiration to me!
Both history and the future are equally important in jewellery houses. How does it affect the house of Buccellati which is still family run?
Buccellati has always been run by family. After my great grandfather started the business, two generations would always work together and this is how we have been able to maintain the same DNA in our jewellery for over 100 years, an achievement that we were able to celebrate by launching an amazing Buccellati Coffee Table Book edited by Assouline this year.
Read Next
International Women’s Day: Bonnae Gokson On Her F&B Journey And Empowering Her Team
Editor
Carina Fischer
