Ornella history: Ornella Bijoux was founded by my grandmother in 1944, during the Second World War: she used all her savings to buy a sample collection of costume jewellery and, together with my mother, who was fourteen at the time, they cycled across Italy under Allied bombardment, carrying cardboard suitcases filled with precious jewellery.
At the end of the war, my mother, Maria Vittoria Albani, became the designer for Ornella Bijoux. She had no formal artistic training, but possessed immense creative flair: over more than 60 years in the business, she created over 30,000 jewellery designs, all preserved in the drawings of our historical archive.
Your first fashion memories: Our history has often been intertwined with that of the world’s leading fashion houses: we have designed for Celine, Dolce & Gabbana, Borbonese and Swarovski, and produced samples for Gucci. My fondest memory is of Maria Callas, who, in the late 1960s and 1970s, would come to Milan to visit the famous dressmaker Biki, who had an atelier in Via Montenapoleone, to have her clothes made: we, on the other hand, created her accessories, particularly striking choker necklaces featuring her beloved pearls
Vintage or new: Vintage all the way! In the history of fashion vintage styles keep coming back into fashion
Style icon: Iris Apfel : “more is more and less is a bore”
Who inspires you: Not who, but what... my heart
Museum or art gallery: Art Gallery
Pizza or Pasta: PIZZA!!!
Best coffee in Milano: Pasticceria Marchesi
Favourite piece or pieces in the next Ornella collection: I really love brooches: we have a collection of around 3,500 designs... brooches are forever
Your favourite song: Imagine by John Lennon
Secret Address: Atelier Ornella Bijoux!
At the end of the war, my mother, Maria Vittoria Albani, became the designer for Ornella Bijoux. She had no formal artistic training, but possessed immense creative flair: over more than 60 years in the business, she created over 30,000 jewellery designs, all preserved in the drawings of our historical archive.
Your first fashion memories: Our history has often been intertwined with that of the world’s leading fashion houses: we have designed for Celine, Dolce & Gabbana, Borbonese and Swarovski, and produced samples for Gucci. My fondest memory is of Maria Callas, who, in the late 1960s and 1970s, would come to Milan to visit the famous dressmaker Biki, who had an atelier in Via Montenapoleone, to have her clothes made: we, on the other hand, created her accessories, particularly striking choker necklaces featuring her beloved pearls
Vintage or new: Vintage all the way! In the history of fashion vintage styles keep coming back into fashion
Style icon: Iris Apfel : “more is more and less is a bore”
Who inspires you: Not who, but what... my heart
Museum or art gallery: Art Gallery
Pizza or Pasta: PIZZA!!!
Best coffee in Milano: Pasticceria Marchesi
Favourite piece or pieces in the next Ornella collection: I really love brooches: we have a collection of around 3,500 designs... brooches are forever
Your favourite song: Imagine by John Lennon
Secret Address: Atelier Ornella Bijoux!