TIFFANY & CO., DESIGNED BY ELSA PERETTI: A GOLD 'MESH SCARF'...

Estimate

€8,000 - €12,000

TIFFANY & CO., DESIGNED BY ELSA PERETTI: A GOLD 'MESH SCARF' NECKLACE Of woven mesh-linking, in 18K gold, signed Peretti and T&Co., with maker's pouch and outer box, length approximately 96.2cm Born in Florence in 1940, Elsa Peretti led a life that spanned multiple countries and disciplines. Educated in Rome and Switzerland, she left home at 21 to teach abroad, later working as an interior designer in Milan. In 1966, she moved to Barcelona, where she began modelling, eventually relocating to New York two years later. In the 1960s and ’70s, Peretti forged her way as a fashion model and joined the glitterati of the New York’s nightlife scene, often attending Studio 54. During this time, she worked with photographers such as Helmut Newton and developed lasting relationships with designers, including Giorgio di Sant’Angelo and Halston. Peretti’s early jewellery designs were featured in Halston’s runway shows, complementing his minimalist style. Halston’s influence encouraged her to focus more seriously on jewellery design, so much so he became a key figure in her life, both personally and stylistically. Renowned for her effortless style, Peretti was soon invited to design silver jewellery in Manhattan. In 1972, she opened a boutique at Bloomingdale’s within Cul de Sac, a space for emerging designers. Two years later, through a meeting arranged by Halston and fashion editor Carrie Donovan, she joined Tiffany & Co. and was offered a contract shortly thereafter. Elsa Peretti’s defining moment came in 1974 when she began working with Tiffany & Co., reintroducing sterling silver to the brand for the first time in 25 years. Inspired by Victorian silver pieces she had encountered in London’s Portobello Road, she brought a fresh, modern perspective to Tiffany’s designs. That same year, she introduced her 'Diamonds by the Yard' collection, featuring fine gold chains with bezel-set diamonds, presenting a fresh and more accessible way to wear these precious stones. Her designs were deeply influenced by personal experiences, tactile sensations, and objects around her. Wearability was central to her work, ensuring each piece was comfortable, fluid, and body-conscious. In 1975, while visiting India, Peretti discovered a metal mesh fabric that intrigued her with its movement and texture. She reached out to Samuel Beizer, Director of the Jewellery Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology, and together they sourced antique machinery originally used to make mesh for evening bags in the early 20th century. This led to the creation of Peretti’s iconic mesh pieces, including a bra that debuted on the Halston runway and the scar, that with its innovative design created a fluid, tactile quality that became a hallmark of her work. By the mid-1970s, Elsa Peretti had established herself as a defining figure in contemporary jewellery design, creating some of the most recognisable pieces of the 20th century. Among them were the Open Heart, inspired by a void in a Henry Moore sculpture; the Bean, symbolising the beginning of life; and the Bone Cuff, inspired by the Capuchin crypt in Rome and Gaudí’s forms in Barcelona. One of her most notable designs, the Snake, was inspired by a rattlesnake tail given to her by a friend from Texas, which she kept as a talisman throughout her youth. The first design featuring this motif was a necklace-belt composed of 120 graduated, fully articulated bean-shaped links, allowing fluid movement. When the belt was first showcased in Women’s Wear Daily in 1973, Peretti modelled it herself, paired with a calf-length cashmere sweater dress by Halston. Over time, the snake motif was expanded into various forms, including a belt buckle, hairband, necklace, choker, pendant, bangle, ring, and earrings. Elsa Peretti passed away in March 2021 at the age of 80 in her Spanish home, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the history of jewellery design.