The work of artist Alice Cicolini evokes exotic discoveries from the ancient trade networks of the Silk Road, the bright, colorful and provocative aesthetic of Italy’s Memphis design movement, and the full sensory experience of solah shringar, an adornment ritual of ancient Hindu brides. A common thread of erudition runs throughout all of Alice’s jewelry, with collections reaching full manifestation through a process that involves studious research.

Born in London, Alice grew up surrounded by books, experimental gardening and love. It was while working as the Director of Arts and Culture at the British Council in India where, on a visit to a museum, she noticed a maharani jewelry box housing the things you need to perform solah shringar. This artifact inspired Alice to throw herself into an exhaustive journey through Indian cultural practice via wonderful stories of the lives of regal women. After returning to London, Alice trained in jewelry at Central St Martins, finding great appeal in art form’s ability to be an amalgam of creative disciplines—part fashion, part craft, part industrial design.

Alice’s work is a celebration of collaboration and craftsmanship. Her intricate enamel pieces are the result of a partnership with one of Jaipur’s last remaining masters of meenakari, enamel work that dates back to 17^th Century Persia that utilizes pigmented glass and metal, juxtaposed with the mailability of 23.5k gold. Traditionally used on the back side of jewelry, meenakari also means “the secret,” referencing the personal dialogue that a wearer has with a piece. The centerpiece in many of Alice’s collections, meenakari takes on the form of a vibrantly colored, masterpiece painting, conjuring conceptual designs based on the delicate floral patterns of textile designs, ceramics and antique Chinese screens.

Alice continues to work as a curator, working with other designers and artists as a creative commissioner for several international touring exhibitions on design, she is a published author, and a Research Associate at Central St Martins. She brings that same curatorial and intellectual approach to her jewelry designs, establishing narratives that tell the stories of ancient craftsmanship, skilled artisans and design technique, that she hopes collectors of her work will embrace, while also adding their own stories to the gems as they become part of their lives.