Fashion Jewels

A true work of passion, this book lovingly charts the creative path of Italian jewelry designers Lyda Toppo and Bruno Coppola, famed for their intricate over the top designs of clustered beads. Sumptuous illustrations complement a well-researched and accessible text. The duo designed for Valentino, Dior, Balenciaga and Pucci and many more, and worn by countless Hollywood stars and on catwalks the world over. Deanna Farneti Cera first glimpsed the jewels of Coppola e Toppo in 1987 at an auction house in Milan. Instantly fascinated by their diversity, the evocative power of the colors, the wealth of shapes and motifs and the multitude of materials used, she soon developed an overwhelming passion for the stunning creations. This book, researched over the last twenty years, is the culmination of that passion and a reconstruction of the creative path of Coppola e Toppo, charting their inspiring partnership from their first appearance in VOGUE in 1948, through to Lyda's death in 1986.