M
ilan-based brand Misani is an embodiment of all of the characteristics that make Italian jewelry design and manufacturing so universally coveted. The brand combines ancient traditions with state-of-the-art know how while infusing all touchpoints of the design and production process with the pride and passion for which Italian design houses are famous. Rooted in traditions of the past, the foundational aesthetics that were established when the brand was first formed have proven a prescient nod to the future.
With a dedication to creating pieces that can be worn and cherished daily, the brothers partner with a team of young craftspeople who are uniquely positioned to see the designs through fresh, modern eyes.
Image courtesy of Misani
Misani was founded in Milan by Ivo Misani in 1965, when the aesthetic zeitgeist of the time leaned towards high-polished uniformity. Bucking convention, Ivo sought texture, irregularity and complexity through a reimagined application of traditional gold hammering techniques, creating jewelry that was as much wearable sculpture as ornamentation.
Image courtesy of Misani
By the 1970’s, Ivo was incorporating unusual and unexpected materials into his work, like leather and Perspex, a premium brand of acrylic, pushing expectations about the boundaries of the artform. With the opening of his first boutique in Via Montenapoleone, in the heart of Milan’s fashion district, his clients’ demands extended to the incorporation of vivid precious gemstones.
Image courtesy of Misani
Continually challenging contemporary mores, in the 1990’s, Ivo began collaborating with international artists like the American sculptor, Michael Good, and Japanese designer, Hiromi Tochihara. These partnerships served to expand the brand’s reach beyond Europe to the Pacific coast of the United States and garner a lasting recognition of his distinctive designs among global collectors and enthusiasts.
Image courtesy of Misani
In 2015, upon the company’s 50th anniversary, the brand passed into the hands of the Bartolomei family. With new energy and a profound respect for the legacy of Ivo Misani, the three entrepreneur brothers, Pietro, Alssandro and Paolo, set out to pay homage to the brand’s rich history while ushering the collections into the next generation.
Image courtesy of Misani
From their new flagship boutique in Brera, one of Milan’s most culturally vibrant neighborhoods, they began mining through the archives of Ivo’s prolific body of work, studying the designer’s thinking about materials, proportion and the relationship between jewelry and the human form.
Image courtesy of Misani
With a dedication to creating pieces that can be worn and cherished daily, the brothers partner with a team of young craftspeople who are uniquely positioned to see the designs through fresh, modern eyes.
Image courtesy of Misani
Viewing Ivo’s archives as a “living design laboratory,” his original ideas form the bedrock of the brand’s DNA and provide guidance in developing collections that express and magnify the personalities of the individuals it adorns.
Image courtesy of Misani
Image courtesy of Misani
Image courtesy of Misani
Image courtesy of Misani
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