Eugenia Bruni

Inspired by youth, passion and creativity - Pasquale Bruni was just over twenty years old when he founded his first jewellery company in Valenza, Gioielmoda - the Pasquale Bruni brand immediately stood out for uniqueness and quality craftsmanship, and is today an international symbol of Made in Italy excellence, loved by prominent personalities such as Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga and Amal Clooney.

It is present in over 30 countries and on important international digital platforms. Yet, says Eugenia Bruni, daughter of the brand’s founder and Creative Director since 2001, the company philosophy has remained that of an artisan laboratory, where everything is still driven by passion and shared values.

When did you realise that your future would be in jewellery?

The environment in which I grew up and my father himself, a great teacher I have always admired, had a huge influence on me. Since I was a child I experienced life in the factory for what it really was, without idealising it. I loved it unconditionally from the very first moment I set foot there, as a little child. The factory was immediately my place of choice: I felt at home, protected there. My real life was there. The extraordinary thing is that, after so many years, nothing has changed: for me, our atelier is still a place of wonders, where I feel alive in the creative process with our artisans, whom I’ve always considered family. Together we develop energy that makes me feel good.

So you learned directly by working in the company?

Everything around me contributed to my training and made me fall in love with this industry. I had a well-rounded education. I have always favoured design and the creative part of work in general. Still, my father always pushed me to experience every facet of the company, dealing with sales, trade fairs, and customer relationships… On a more personal level, I learned to “feel” the gemstones, to understand their beauty and energy not through a school but by being in contact with them. Gemstones have accompanied me throughout my life journey and in becoming a woman. They loved me, cared for me, and made me a better person… I’m saying all this because my approach to jewellery was, first of all, a very intimate process, which still excites me a lot. Of course, my long stays abroad also helped me to have a broader cultural vision. All this is then reflected in our creations, as our jewellery brings with it different cultures, sensibilities and women’s worlds.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

Nature has always been my great source of inspiration, the greatest teacher of shapes and creativity; it is the finest source of emotions and inspires us to live in profound gratitude towards creation. It is no surprise that the bond between women and nature is so close and powerful. Nature makes us free; it allows us to understand that we can be reborn several times even in this life, admire the beauties of creation, and rediscover ourselves. It is always tricky for me to explain how our jewellery is created. It is a highly elevated moment that we would like to become part of people’s lives: it is the moment in which you can communicate with nature and genuinely understand the wonder of a leaf, its sinuosity, its elegance, the sense of a flower and how it blossoms… To create means to connect with something higher, spiritual.

What values does Pasquale Bruni jewellery aim to convey?

Our first goal is to be able to communicate emotions. That’s why ethics for us is a thorough commitment: we have converted most of our materials into sustainable materials and are members of the Colour Gems Ethical Committee. Our gems are all traceable, and diamonds meet the Kimberley Process requirements. We have also started collaborating with the NGO One Tree Planet, which will plant new trees for each jewellery piece we sell. And, of course, it is also ethical to make quality items designed to last over time. For me, jewellery is not inert matter and, if it is made with dedication, passion and love, it will be able to convey positive emotions to those who wear it.

Do you monitor every stage of the jewellery manufacturing process?

Of course. All our jewellery is made in Valenza. I am in charge of creative direction and have always worked side by side with our artisans: I like to say that we never leave our jewellery alone! Each piece is the result of extensive research on both shapes and gems: our jewellery must feel like a hug and women should feel this embrace on their skin as a form of love, with all the energy of gemstones. We often use stones related to the heart chakra, emotions, water, and feminine elements. Nothing is accidental in a Pasquale Bruni piece.

Is there any common thread in your new collections too?

In general, our new collections are inspired by a search for light. The new Giardini Segreti (Secret Gardens), for example, play with the contrast of black and white diamonds, and there is special care in the pavé through which these two worlds chase each other, day and night, so that women can always see the light, even in the charm of the dark. In our Ton Joli lunar jewellery, I used a lot of moonstones. They are gems with particular transparencies that accompany the woman on an inner journey toward the light. In my jewellery, they chase each other to compose flowers, lace and embroidery in a dance that leads the woman to enter a beautiful lunar universe, almost transfigured by this light. Some other jewellery pieces feature gold forms, and the heart is the gem: they represent a hymn to nature and Tara, the mother goddess of Tibetan Buddhism.

How much have lockdowns and pandemics influenced this search for light?

Spirituality has always been an essential part of my jewellery, mysterious but present. However, during the pandemic, everyone got closer to the most spiritual part of themselves, and the time has come to reveal and share the emotions that have always been inside of us, but we were not as aware as we are of them today.

For Pasquale Bruni, luxury is not just about precious materials but also research, ethics, interconnections and spirituality. Is it true that you have been practising meditation for years?

I always have, for as long as I can remember. Meditation is entering into a relationship with myself; it is my secret garden: when you can connect with yourself and your soul, you can embrace the entire universe. Meditating has also helped me immensely in the creative process; through meditation, you can heal yourself with your inner light and share the light with others; jewellery is a tangible messenger of this gift.

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