We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Eleonora Federici ("EF").
Eleonora lives by the inspirational words of Henri Matisse, “creativity takes courage.” Fascinated by the Arts and Nature, she believes that Design can express the beauty of the human soul. But to do so, an artist must be brave and bold enough to show it to the world. This belief began for Eleonora at a very young age. She grew up at “Gioielleria Marinone” (Pavia, Italy), the jewelry store founded by her parents Anna Maria and Daniele in 1980. She spent years surrounded by love and encouragement in an environment rich in inspiration and creativity. There, she learned and improved her skills, and her lifelong passion for precious stones was born. After graduating with honors in Modern Literature with a focus in Modern Art, Eleonora moved to Milan to further pursue her passion for art and jewels. She studied Gemology at the “Istituto Gemmologico Italiano,” of which she is a member. She is also a member of the “Associazione Italiana Gemmologi” (the only Institution recognized by the Italian government.). Her continued curiosity and love for jewelry led her to first learn how to create models by carving the wax by hand, and then to later also acquire bench jewelry skills. In 2021, Eleonora moved to Carlsbad (California, USA) where she completed the Jewelry Design & Technology Program at the world-renowned Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Incorporating the most advanced, cutting-edge technologies in design and manufacturing, Eleonora provides clients with superior technical expertise and practical skills, while also preserving the ties to classic Italian handcrafting traditions. Her designs reflect a beautiful balance of history, craftsmanship and state-of-the art techniques. Eleonora has spent years honing her skills and her artistry has flourished. She has the confidence to boldly express her creativity through her work. She is firmly dedicated to quality and the creation of unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that are true, wearable pieces of art.
Eleonora Federici Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Eleonora Federici.
Eleonora Federici Design - Kashmir Ring
Eleonora Federici Design - The Hummingbird Single Earring
Designer Interview of Eleonora Federici:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
EF : My parents used to take me to museums and important Italian cities from a very young age, fostering my early love for art. I always enjoyed painting and drawing, which led me to study Art and Literature at university, where I earned a Master's degree in History of Art with honors. My passion for beauty and art continued to grow, ultimately guiding me to become a gemologist. Through gemstones, I discovered that nature is a profound source of inspiration. From my first days in our family jewelry shop "Gioielleria Marinone" (Pavia, Italy), I’ve been able to express myself by creating unique, high-end pieces for our customers. Yes, I believe I was meant to be a designer since the beginning.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
EF : My family jewelry shop has been in business for 44 years, and always focused on high quality products and design. Offering every kind of service, from repairing and refurbishing old jewels to creating from scratch new ones, I gained through the years a huge experince in designing, blueprinting and manufacturing. That is why I decided to create my own brand Eleonora Federici Jewelry, that focuses on marvellous, unique designs and custom made pieces. Reliability, honesty and high professionalism are the main characteristics of my company.
DI: What is "design" for you?
EF : Design is the ultimate frontier of art, it is what allows people to bring new ideas, objects, and concepts to life. Design is about research, beauty, poetry, emotion, and progress. As a jewelry designer, I strive to make the world a better place by conveying subtle messages through my wearable art pieces. I create jewelry that not only serves as a form of expression but also stands the test of time, carrying with it the memories and legacy of a family for generations.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
EF : Jewels, of any kind!
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
EF : One of my fist pieces was a semi-rigid yellow gold necklace with a cluster of orange, yellow and red briolette cut Sapphires. This piece was uniquely created and was the first of its kind and this style predated the similar collections of a famous Fashion House presented only 10 years later.
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
EF : My favorite material is yellow and pink gold. I love both the traditional wax hand carving method and CAD softwares like Rhinoceros 8, Z-brush.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
EF : When I have an inspiration, and it happens all the time and in any place. I always try to be receptive. Basically, my mind is always open to new sources of inspiration.
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
EF : Shape and movement. A piece has always to be elegant and perfect.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
EF : I feel that every jewel I am creating is part of me… like a child who grows up and leaves home…I feel the challenge of achieving perfection, and that makes me enthusiastic and eager to create the next design.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
EF : I feel that every jewel that I have ever made is like a child to me, I feel complete, excited and enthusiastic and truly accomplished.
DI: What makes a design successful?
EF : A successful design is defined by its beauty, wearability, and timelessness.
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
EF : When judging a design, the first aspect I consider is its timelessness—a good design never goes out of fashion. It remains beautiful, wearable, and functional over time. Additionally, balance and elegance are crucial, even in more extreme designs.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
EF : Create new styles that make people live more close to nature and raise awareness of the most important issues for a better world: Peace, respect for ech other, preservation of endangered species, respect for nature. This seems trivial, but if the world continues to be blind to these issues, I don't know if humanity will really have a future.
DI: When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?
EF : My single earring "The Hummingbird" has been showcased in several international locations. Now, it is time for my ring "Kashmir" to receive the same recognition. However, I believe the best exhibition is when one of my clients wears them!
DI: Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
EF : Inspiration is all around me. My Muses are often gemstones, Nature in general and pieces of Art.
DI: How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
EF : Design has no limits. That is why I don’t want to enclose myself in just one style. I am eclectic. But movement, sensuality and balance are for sure one of the main characteristics of my designs.
DI: Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
EF : I live in Italy. I think that any other comment is unnecessary!
DI: What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
EF : Companies should select a designer who is not only eager to create and grow but also aligned with the vision of the brand. It's equally important to give the designer as much creative freedom as possible, as placing too many constraints can stifle creativity.
DI: Can you talk a little about your design process?
EF : The inspiration is like a lightning, then the idea starts developing in my head and I have the 3D vision of the final result. Then I start creating the model following this image, sometimes making some changes in order to obtain a jewel that has to be not just beautiful, but also wearable.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
EF : The “Pirce” chandelier by the italian brand Artemide, the pendulum clock “La Tour” by L’Epée, a statue by the artist Luca Bossaglia, a portrait of myself by the artist Stefano Bressani.
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
EF : Milk and coffee with some cookies as soon as I wake up, then I work all day. I go for a run, or do Pilates at least 4 times a week (if possible!). I like cooking in my free time (I am really fond of making pastries), which I usually do during the week-ends. When I can, I go to Tuscany where my father was born, and take long hikes up in the mountains and in the fall, we usually went together searching for mushrooms. Those moments are fundamental for relaxation and they give my brain renewed energy so I can have new ideas for my jewels.
DI: Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
EF : Never surrender. Sooner or later someone will believe in you!
DI: From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?
EF : The only negative is that sometimes it is hard to be understood and appreciated. That is why “creativity takes courage”, as H. Matisse said.
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
EF : Being brave. Being yourself.
DI: What skills are most important for a designer?
EF : Willfulness, scrupulousness, courage and having no boundaries for your imagination.
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
EF : My mind is my canvas. I use the traditional bench jeweler tools, CAD software (Rhinoceros 8), sculpting software (Z-Brush). I like going directly from the ideas in my mind to the creation of the model.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
EF : I work tirelessly until I have obtained what I want.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
EF : It depends on the project…sometimes few hours, sometimes weeks or months.
DI: What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
EF : How can you have so many different ideas?
DI: What was your most important job experience?
EF : Everytime I build a new jewel, from the inception throught the all production process...because every time is a journey where you live the birth of your own creation, yopu improven and learn.
DI: Who are some of your clients?
EF : I cannot disclose specific names...
DI: What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
EF : Every time I undertake the process of crafting a new piece of jewelry. From its conceptualization to its completion through the production process, each occasion feels like a profound journey, where I witness the birth of my own creation, I improve and learn.
DI: What are your future plans? What is next for you?
EF : I want the world to see my jewels, so I am moving forward to get international Customers.
DI: Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?
EF : I like to work alone, but I also like to work with smart, skilled and talented people. I always listen to others, because multiple points of view are always better than one. And you always, always have something to learn from everybody (as my Mother taught me).
DI: Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?
EF : Yes, I certainly do...but I would like it to be a surprise for the next design competition!
DI: How can people contact you?
EF : They can contact me through my website eleonorafedericijewelry.com, or through my Instagram account eleonorafedericijewelry. They can also e-mail me at info.efjewelry@gmail.com
DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
EF : I am looking for the opportunity to express myself and I think I could be a great resource for Jewelry Houses who are searching for a Designer eager to create and to make a difference. Whoever is going to choose me, will not regret their choice because I am strong willing, loyal and a meticulous hard worker.