Two good friends—Women’s Voices board members—wearing ‘Maltese Cross Hinged Stone Cuffs’ by Verdura. (Photo by Cheryl Fleming |)
Priceless and Ageless. After 75 years, this is Verdura.
How fitting that the famed jewelry company celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Nobody did glamour better than the man who started it all in 1939, Duke Fulco di Verdura, master jewelry designer to Hollywood stars back when Hollywood stars were synonymous with style and elegance—the likes of leading ladies such as Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo, and Joan Crawford. He was also the designer for that era’s elegant socialites, women who were known for their beauty and style. For these stunning women Fulco created the fabulous necklaces, brooches, and bracelets they wore in their films, awards ceremonies, and great parties.
To celebrate its 75th, Verdura has launched The Power of Style: Verdura at 75, a rare retrospective exhibition in New York City now open through December 23. The exhibition is curated by three internationally admired style-makers and Verdura aficionados: Carolina and Reinaldo Herrera, longtime friends of Verdura, and their daughter Patricia Lansing. On view are some of Verdura’s most priceless creations: Coco Chanel’s original cuffs and Greta Garbo’s bracelet watch as well as a selection of more than 200 of Duke Fulco di Verdura’s original jewels and objets d’art on loan from collectors around the world, many of which have never before been on public display. There is jewelry from the private collections of modern-day style icons Sofia Coppola, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Brooke Shields. With selections from Verdura’s 10,000 gouache jewelry designs, archival materials, personal miniature paintings, and rare period photographs, the exhibition brings to life Vedura’s inspirations and gives dimension to the social landscape during the six decades he designed.
“Verdura not only defined glamour for generations of women, but continue to influence fashion today,” says Women’s Voices for Change board member Colleen Caslin, COO of Verdura fine jewelry since 2008.
Last Sunday, CBS Sunday Morning featured the company’s storied history and gave viewers a glimpse into the exhibition, revealing how significant both the jeweler and his designs is to contemporary fashion.
Verdura, jeweler to the stars
This holiday season, Verdura has created its 75th Anniversary Collection, inspired by the Power of Style exhibition. The collection draws from designs that date back to the early 1930s and ’40s with gifts like the one-of-a-kind emerald Scarf Necklace.
