Finding: Niki de Saint Phalle’s surrealist necklace for Gem Montebello

By Bebe Leone

In 1967 Milanese goldsmith GianCarlo Montebello persuaded a long list of modern artists including Lucio Fontana, Hans Richter, Jesús Soto and Alex Katz to collaborate with him, creating a limited edition of jewels under the Gem Montebello label. Among them,  Niki de Saint Phalle  who designed a surrealist , whimsical necklace with eye and mouth pendants. The witty editorial showcasing the piece and pulled from the pages of a vintage Vogue Italia, features the chocolate eyes and crimson lips of a raven-haired beauty’s mirrored by cleverly placed pendants.The chunky eyes and lips of the necklace will look familiar to the modern jewelry enthusiast; they are strikingly similar to the designs of Fendi’s scion Delfina Delettrez who has made no secret of her love all things vintage. Delfina Delettrez took inspiration from Niki’s design, re-editing it in her own jewellery pieces and in her collaboration for the A/W 2013-14 season with Kenzo, characterized by the eye motif.

Source: Irenebrination