Since 1929, Dirce from Italy has been known for its masterly crafted fine jewellery that enchants life and celebrates love. Commemorating its 90th anniversary this year, the Valenza-based brand has launched the You Are My Universe collection while venturing into Hong Kong and Macau in collaboration with Lukfook Jewellery. Dirce’s creative director Omar Torres told Hong Kong Jewellery in an exclusive interview the heritage of the family brand and the spiralling galaxy that shapes the new collection.
Founder of Dirce, Camillo Repossi started the brand by offering exquisite jewellery set with precious gemstones. After he had passed away, his daughter Dirce Repossi continued his legacy and instilled the glamour of the la dolce vita style into the design. In 1980s, her daughter Vittoria Verderio Repossi joined the family business and since then she has brought international acclaim through collaborations with legendary jewellery houses such as Garrard while winning numerous major awards.
Dirce’s collaboration with renowned designer Omen Torres started 2016 has resulted in the launch of the You Are My Universe collection. A veteran jewellery designer who has spent his career as design director and chief designer for Van Cleef & Arpels, Garrard, Movado, Marina B and Bulgari, Omen Torres was also a professor of design at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
He told Hong Kong Jewellery the reason for the new launch: “Dirce wanted to re-launch its brand for the 21st century. With that in mind, the brand decided to offer a collection with a universal symbol.
“The creation of the universe with the moving of galaxies in outer space provided the perfect icon. First, it has a globally recognised symbol. Secondly, it is totally unique in the bridal jewellery sphere. Because of the nature of the icon – the spiralling galaxies – it offers movement within the objects. The written message ‘You Are My Universe’ personalises the symbol and points it towards one person in particular.”
The new collection offers a wide selection of engagement rings, wedding bands, matching bands and contemporary jewellery. The engagement rings, featuring a spiral motif to honour commitment and symbolising everlasting love, carry a sparkling centre diamond and a hidden diamond in the inner shank of the band for extra shimmers. The wedding bands are engraved with the romantic love message ‘You Are My Universe’ with the choices of plain gold and diamond-set styles.
Capitalising on the prevailing mix-and-match trend, Omar Torres has created sleek and subtle bands to match with an engagement ring or to stack with another matching band for a personalised look. For year-round occasions to celebrate love besides wedding, the designer also offers a selection of contemporary jewellery to make life more memorable.
With profound knowledge in the history, aesthetics, design, manufacturing and marketing of jewellery, Torres sees a natural relationship between jewellery and times. He says: “Jewellery is very connected to the times and circumstances of when and where they are created. There have been times in which jewellery has been bigger or heavier. At other times it has become more delicate and smaller. Sometimes it has been avant-garde and at others more traditional. We are living in a time of transitions, socially and politically. This moment of change directly affects fashion, music and arts.”
When it comes to bridal trends, he points out that bridal jewellery is trying to find a new form of expression. “There is more experimentation and an open willingness to try something different. Dirce follows this attitude of research and change, creating jewellery that relates to the times we live in,” he says.
← Back