Trunk show season is upon us and Marissa Collections is a buzz with Brunello Cucinelli Resort/Spring 2013 and jewelry trunk shows from featured designers as Mattia Cielo, Federica Rettore, and Shaun Leane.
So much activity and so much excitement! I always get a bit giddy and happy seeing new collections and learning about what inspired the designer.
To satisfy my curiosity I headed downstairs to speak to the very knowledgeable brand representatives.
As an avid fan of Brunello Cucinelli, his new collection was as expected – exquisitely relaxed and easy going. Cucinelli introduced a new color palette of spearmint, cloud, sea, kangaroo, petal, rope, and galaxy among the clay, nude, taupe, and navy of his staple palette. The collection also played a bit with different textures – bringing in dry cotton to add a bit of roughness to compliment his usually smooth silks and soft cashmeres. All of his outerwear is weather resistant – from suede to python, and his active wear has a touch of “couture” to keep you styling on the go.
Instead of feathers like he did for Pre-fall and Fall 2012, you see such adornments as “butterfly hems” and dry cotton fringe that are detachable from most of his Resort/Spring 2013 collection.

Tuxedo hems, "butterfly hems", and dry cotton textures
I was MOST excited to see tuxedo hems and boxy peplums – adding a bit of fluid flow and playing up geometric shapes.
As always – layering is key to all his collections and many of the pieces can be mix-matched or worn on their own. Versatility and ease of styling are earmarks of the Cucinelli collection.
What better way to compliment a Cucinelli piece than to add fine jewelry to the mix?

Federica Rettore Opal Ring, Necklace, and classic Horn Cuffs
The Federica Rettore trunk show has some simple stunners, like this gorgeous opal ring and necklace – making their first appearance on US soil at Marissa Collections. There are also some classics, like her very popular horn cuffs.
Federica Rettore designs for the “every day special occasion”. Most of her pieces are one-of-a-kind, using only the most unique and rare gemstones she can find, and she designs and creates these pieces in very traditional methods in Milan. She has been designing for over 15 years and had designed for Gucci under Tom Ford.
Some of my favorites of her designs are when she incorporates organic and natural materials and shapes in her pieces. Her love of the sea is evident in her most-recent collections.
The high-tech and industrially inclined jewelry design house, Mattia Cielo brings to the trunk show fluid movement, flattering metals, and architecturally designed pieces that go beyond “pretty”. Preferring to use only 18k rose gold, titanium and steel, Mattia Cielo crafts pieces with clean lines, smooth edges, and radical details. (Of course you can always special order for pieces created with 18k yellow or white gold.)

Mattia Cielo's take on the tennis bracelets, "Ghianccio", and a ring
with bands that move.
One of the most boldest pieces, a bracelet known only as “Ghianccio” or “Ice” in Italian was made with cold-laser fusion carved titanium and diamonds.
Mattia Cielo even brought some more visually traditional tennis bracelets – far different than the ones we featured here on the blog – but with no clasp, only stainless steel springs for flexibility and movement to slip on and off the wrist with ease without fear of lost.
Now we’ve come to my favorite designer of the trunk show. Many of us at Marissa Collections were unaware that Shaun Leane was going to have his first-ever in the US fine jewelry trunk show at our location! Can you imagine our surprise?

Pieces from Shaun Leane's fine jewelry collection

Shaun Leane's creations for Alexander McQueen
Shaun Leane was named UK Designer of the Year, was close friends with the late Alexander McQueen, designed the “Queen of the Night” necklace for Boucheron with blooming flowers, and was the designer who designed Contra Mundum with Daphne Guinness – I think I’m in love.

"Queen of the Night": inspired by the flower, Queen of the Night that
blossoms only at night and designed especially for Boucheron's
150th anniversary

Contra Mundum, designed for Daphne Guinness
The trunk shows will be here during regular business hours (10AM-6PM EST) from today until Saturday at 3PM.
Do find some time and come on in to see the progress of our NEW jewelry gallery, and check out what is going to start arriving in stores come March and April from Brunello Cucinelli!
Cheers!
