Dubai: Maria De Toni is a stickler for definitions. And that's why she doesn't much care for being termed a jewellery "designer".
She prefers to be known as a "stylist". Anything else falls far short of what she does, according to De Toni.
"There is a subtle difference between the two — as a stylist I feel that style with a concept will be the trend of the future," said De Toni. "A stylist incorporates aspects associated with a culture and tradition. But designers could move from designs to incorporating the essence of a culture."
De Toni has the necessary gravitas to make such clear-cut delineations. Her collections are coveted by Middle Eastern royalty and the very high networth buyers who have a keen eye for jewellery.
It's one reason why she can say with a breezy panache: "My buyers are not much affected by the fluctuations in gold prices. There is still a lot of demand for unique and stylish jewellery.
Message
"I believe that when products are made attractive, people are ready to buy. I have a bond with my buyer, and my buyers prefer my product since it coveys a message."
She has a marked preference for white diamonds answering to the highest VVVS1 dimensions. Eclectic use is also made of rubies, emeralds and black diamonds.
But now she feels the need to open up her client portfolio further. In other words, create collections — she only uses 18-carat — that can be deemed more accessible.
"For me, while working on a concept, I try to understand the end-user for my jewellery and then work towards that," she said. "My intention is to reach out to everyone.
"I want my customers to understand the deeper meaning of jewellery; when I design, I think of the way they would like to see the jewellery and work towards that. My designs convey a message and it is a message of positive energy."
A representative has been signed up for the local market in the form of German Jewellery. The belief is that with time enough demand can be created at the retail buyers' level as was done with private buyers earlier.
All of her collections are made in Vicenza, in northern Italy. It too has earned a reputation for gold jewellery and "like Dubai is the City of Gold," she said.
That being the case, connecting the dots between the two cities can't be that difficult.
