Debuted her eponymous brand Deborah Pagani in 2008, the New York-based jewellery designer has since made her mark by having a large celebrity clientele and selling in major luxury retailers worldwide like Barneys, Broken English, Latest Revival, and Luisa Via Roma to name a few.
Prior to designing jewellery, Pagani had worked with women throughout her career in the beauty industry for 14 years and wanted to design statement jewellery for her clients expressing all-American beauty, luxurious yet understated. Like what she did in her previous career, Pagani works around a woman’s face and body, portraying contemporary and classic silhouettes of metropolitan women through fine jewellery.
“First and foremost, my inspiration comes from women,” said Deborah Pagani. Modern women, who love luxury and fashion, prefer durable jewellery with delightful concepts and stories. They appreciate classic designs and are not afraid of taking risks. All these are in tune with Pagani’s design philosophy – an effortless weave of high jewellery, fashion and timelessness.
In 2015, online retailer Latest Revival curated a series of one-of-a-kind jewellery from five contemporary jewellery designers in partnership with Christie’s; Pagani’s Deca Chandelier earrings were on the list. As a natural extension of her Deca Nueva collection which blends art nouveau and art deco, the piece was designed for women who find both simple and extravagant to be equally pleasing and live their lives between the classic and unexpected, said the designer.
Regarding her latest collection Americana, Pagani told Hong Kong Jewellery that her muses were the socialite swans of the 1950s and 1960s, a group of attractive, muse-like women such as Babe Paley, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Lee Radziwill and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in the 1990s. “I love the fact that I can still be inspired by their photographs today, just chic and effortless. Americana was spun from a dream of what I thought the swans would be wearing today,” she added.
While there is no shortage of trendy jewellery designs on the market, Pagani wants her pieces to be enduring. The Americana collection came into being with this mind-set. Any woman can wear the collection, whether she is a delicate and poised dresser or a fashionista.
Different looks of celebrities embody Deborah Pagani’s versatility. For instance, Freida Pinto wore Americana earrings and rings in a refined look at Met Gala 2016 whereas Rhianna wore a set of the brand’s rings with a completely different look. Pagani pointed out what sets her brand apart is that the pieces can be luxe but relaxed without being ‘evening’.
Material is key to designing jewellery for all. According to the designer, she used to work with agates and moonstones for Queen Bee collection and other semi-precious stones for American Geisha collection. Right now in addition to working with precious stones and fine metals, she pursues alternative materials that still remain fine, mixed with traditional jewellery elements, which gives each piece of her jewellery versatility and wearability, together with an exquisite touch, attractive for a broader range of customers.
She described her new focus as “viable jewellery” which is a future jewellery trend targeting not only her current clientele, but also the younger generation. “There needs to be a way to introduce the younger generation into the high jewellery industry that is more geared towards their interest,” she added.
Having seen the jewellery industry changed so much over the years, Pagani has decided to adjust her way of marketing and interaction with customers by using social media especially Instagram.
“I feel that it is the easiest way for people to see my jewellery and understand my brand,” said Pagani. “It is accessible to everyone, and easy for people to tag, share and connect. I also use it as a way to show how my collections can be styled and worn, and how versatile and wearable they are.”
For the foreseeable future, Deborah Pagani expects to expand into the Asian market. “I think it would be exciting to include my collections based off American socialites into a different realm of clients,” she projects. (Photo courtesy: Deborah Pagani)
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