designer
profile
sculptor and a designer.” Thomas then revealed
what matters to him the most as a designer:
“
The moment I see the ecstatic smile of a girl/
woman who has just seen or tried on one of my
pieces and asks where she can purchase one.”
As I listened to Thomas tell me about the
perks of being an independent jewellery designer,
it was interesting to hear what he had to say
and the logic of his thinking around the subject.
“
The perks of being a jewellery designer are
that I can easily carry around my own collection.
Precious and semi-precious stones and metals
are also able to release a very powerful energy,
so dealing with these kinds of materials enables
me to enrich my personal Karma. The beauty
of having my own label can be translated with
one Italian motto: ‘chi mi ama mi segua’ which
in English can be roughly translated as ‘let I be
followed by those who love me’; by this I mean
that having my own label has eventually given
me the opportunity of creating and producing
eclectic pieces that are not always commercially
sound but are rich in character. Whoever is
a fan of Toto Design will be able to follow its
development and enjoy it in the near future at its
best.”A very interesting answer, I thought.
The first article of jewellery Thomas
designed were a pair of rings inspired by the
surfing community. “The rings are designed so
that the top section is shaped as a wave.When
worn by two different people the rings interlock
the moment the two users decide to shake
hands in an unusual way by having their fists one
against the other. Although this is not typically
the way surfers greet each other, the wave shape
links the rings to this social group.The inspiration
came to me as homage to my brother Luca who
has been surfing all over the globe since he was
a teenager and is always in search of the next
perfect wave.”
So what would Thomas say his design
signature is? “The jewellery I design is not
understated but is actually quite bold and
almost Baroque at times. I enjoy mixing different
materials together and playing with the contrast
created by having different metal finishes
together in the same piece.Texture is important
on the surface of components and chains and
gives the pieces a feel of antique.”And how long
does it usually take to construct a piece? “This
really depends on how intricate the design of
the piece is and what kind of material I am using,
it can take me a day as much as a whole week.
Fine jewellery design and construction requires a
long process and it has taken me up to a whole
month to finish one specific piece.”
While collaborating with Mexx Europe
one of his accomplishments was increasing the
profits with his designs. “When I started my
collaboration with Mexx Europe my category
was down in respect to the previous year, and
when I left the company the ranges I designed
myself were performing on target with an
increase in profit of 20% compared to the
previous year.” So in his opinion what makes a
quality piece? “I believe a quality article is made
by the research and thought put into designing
a piece prior to its creation. The quality of
materials is also crucial to making a great article.
In the case of garments and accessories I am a
great believer of the importance of stitching
as it can really make or break the beauty of a
garment/piece.”
Thomas is inspired by several designers
such as award winning celebrity jewellery
designer Shaun Leane, Erikson Beamond, Lara
Bohinc, Oscar De la Renta, Rodrigo Otazu,
VivienneWestwood and Lanvin. On the subject
of favourite models, he told me, “I love models
that have a great face. Accessories and jewellery
are better modelled on a fresh and gorgeous
face; the body is less important but still has to
be proportioned. My favourite models of the
fashion industry are Naomi Campbell, Gisele
Bundchen, Adriana Lima, and also David Gandy
and Tyson Beckford.” And if he could choose
any celebrity to wear his pieces, who would
they be? “I would love Angela Rafanelli to wear
my jewellery. Angela is an emerging actress on
Italian digital TV, she has a very beautiful face
with soft features and a great smile. She is also
a friend of mine although we rarely see each
other. I would also love Devon Aoki and Lily
Cole to wear my jewellery.”
When preparing for a fashion shoot or
show, Thomas preaches that it is crucial for
the models to have good make-up and good
hair. “It is also important that I make sure the
jewellery and accessories match the garments
used during the shoot. Matching colours and
metal finishes to the right garment is essential
to a good photo shoot.”He enjoys both aspects
of sketching his designs and constructing them
to create his collection. “Sometimes I find great
materials and it is just a question of putting them
together to make a piece and other times it is
better to sketch the pieces on CAD so that the
originality of the idea is preserved and explored.”
Antique silver and antique gold metal finishes
are named as his favourite colours to work
with as well as the combination of gunmetal
finish with rose gold and antique matt gold
metal finish. He also enjoys working with silver
due to the metal being very soft, easy to work
with and longer lasting. He added, “Glass, crystal
and plexiglass are also great materials to work
with. I am very passionate about semiprecious
stones as much as mixing metal and fabrics
together.”
To Thomas designing is “where logic and
physics meet creative and artistic.” Thomas
elaborates, “I enjoy designing especially when it
means creating something that does not exist.
Designing means working well in a team as it
usually involves working with buyers, creative
directors, product developers and visual
merchandisers.” So what advice would he give
to aspiring jewellery designers? “Never stop
working hard and always pursue your passion
and drive to achieve your highest goal. We are
all humans and aspiring high can only make us
better.”
To conclude our discussion, I asked Thomas
what his future goals are. “My goal was to
organize a catwalk in Tuscany last summer and
to work on Toto Design’s website. Organising
production and sourcing is also something that
will need to be sorted as soon as possible. I will
also continue to nourish my collaborations with
other fashion houses. My end goal is to have my
brand established and running smoothly within
the next five years.”