'Elsa brings passion to Tiffany'

Francis Arcaro, vice-president, Elsa Peretti Collections, speaks about the designer to Tabloid during the launch of her label in Dubai.

Her designs are simple, sensuous and tactile with fluid shapes, undulating surfaces and a tangible energy.

Elsa Peretti draws inspiration from the most ordinary and unlikely things such as bones, beans, hearts, apples, snakes, teardrops and starfish.

But in her creative hands bones are transformed into beautiful silver candlesticks and bracelets, beans emerge as interesting pendants, bags, cufflinks, tureens and baby brushes and an ancient rusted ship's anchor evolves into a stylish chain.

The designer has worked exclusively with Tiffany & Co. since 1974, when the Elsa Peretti Collection of jewellery was introduced. In the early 1980s, the collection was expanded to include china, crystal and silver designs for the home.

The Elsa Peretti Collections were recently launched in the UAE by Damas in association with Tiffany & Co and are now available in all Tiffany & Co. stores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Francis Arcaro, vice president, Elsa Peretti Collections was in Dubai for the launch and spoke to Tabloid about his 15-year association with the designer and her work.

A visionary

"Elsa is a visionary who had a revolutionary approach towards women's jewellery. Earlier jewellery was usually big pieces that men bought for women.

Elsa wanted to create small, affordable pieces that women could buy for themselves; pieces that were different, simple, comfortable to wear and made them feel good. Her ideas are still relevant today - the world is finally catching up with her," said Arcaro.

He explained that although Tiffany has been in this market for some time, the Elsa Peretti Collections are only being introduced now because the designer likes to move at her own pace.

Evolving market

"In every market in the world, including her own country Italy, we have always gone with the Elsa Peretti Collections some years after the other Tiffany collections.

"This market is evolving and we have much bigger stores in locations such as Mall of the Emirates, hence the time seems right to bring these collections here," he said.

Volatile

He described the reclusive designer as an instinctive person who does not work to organised plans, set formulas, systems or time frames.

"She is a fascinating and complex person; she can be volatile, demanding and stubborn and she can also be funny, charming and gracious. And that is what makes her so fascinating and successful and so much fun to work with," he said recalling his trips to remote villages in Japan in search for the best traditional craftsmen to make Elsa's signature lacquer ornaments inlaid with 24k gold.

Dramatic influence

Arcaro acknowledged that Perreti has had a dramatic influence on Tiffany. "She helped us to reach new markets such as Japan and brought in a young clientele. Many people who thought of Tiffany as old and stodgy now identify with us thanks to her refreshing aesthetic," he said. "Elsa brings an element of soul, variety and passion to Tiffany. She has set a standard for us to follow, especially in silver jewellery," he added.