Q&A WITH VINCENZO CASTALDO

As Pomellato celebrates Vincenzo Castaldo’s two decades with the Milanese house, GC gets the inside scoop on the values and milestones that have marked his role at the Italian jeweller.

With his deep passion and experience in design, Vincenzo Castaldo celebrates 20 years working at Pomellato, the jewellery Maison known for innovative, voluptuous designs crafted of traditional Milanese goldsmithing since 1967. Inspired by the inimitable beauty of Milan, Castaldo chose his home city, joining the Creative Team at Pomellato in 2002. He was named Creative Director in 2015. Born and raised in Tuscany, Vincenzo Castaldo has experience in many creative métiers, first attending the school of art in Lucca and then studying architecture in Florence. Upon completing his studies in Milan, he knew he’d found his forever home in Italy’s fashion capital.

Graduating from the Marangoni Institute in fashion design, the first 15 years of his career were dedicated to fashion, first at Romeo Gigli, then Dolce & Gabbana.To Vincenzo Castaldo, Pomellato jewellery encapsulates Milan’s relentless pursuit of beauty, where elegance meets excellence, where freedom meets craftsmanship, where passion meets handmade dedication.

What is your approach to the House’s signature designs?

My approach is very respectful of Pomellato’s heritage and DNA. Pomellato’s jewels are distinguished by an unmistakable Milanese design and each iconic collection, such as Nudo, Iconica, Catene or Sabbia, has its own specific personality. I know what identifies our aesthetic codes of each pillar collection. They are like musical notes that allow us to create new melodies and write new chapters every year for our collections. In this process, my creative team and our master goldsmiths in our atelier are fundamental assets in the creative flow.

The brand’s ‘From Milan & All Around the World’ campaign was launched at Milan Fashion Week 2022. How does Milan inspire your unique designs?

Milan is always a source of inspiration for Pomellato. I chose Milan many years ago and I would choose it again today. It is now my home city and what I like the most is its architecture that mixes past, present, and future: Secret gardens and interiors coexist with magnificent historic palazzi and modern landscapes. Milan has a special creative energy, where elegance is never ostentatious, and excellence speaks in hushed tones. This is also what Pomellato stands for.

Pomellato is dedicated to a more sustainable practice for its jewel creation. What is the brand’s approach to achieving this? Pomellato achieved 100% responsible gold purchasing in 2018 and is one of the forerunners investing in Fairmined gold for some special collections, such as Nuvola, using 100% of the socially conscious precious metal. Pomellato is also investing in the traceability of coloured stones, and uses certified diamonds while exploring new sustainable practices; for example, upcycling projects like our Pomellato Kintsugi collection.

What are some of the lessons you’ve learned during your 20year tenure with Pomellato?

There are so many. These 20 years have been a professional and personal journey of growth. If I had to choose two important lessons, I would say, “know the rules so you can break them to create your own path,” and “coherence is a guiding principle.”

At Pomellato, our philosophy is that of continuously updating and evolving the House’s distinctive codes to create unexpected jewels whilst honouring our roots. Today, we are much more aware of the past, as we have gained absolute confidence in what we do and how we do it. While our jewels are still handmade at Casa Pomellato, the expertise of our artisans allows us to break rules to discover different aesthetics that are outside the classical approach.

How does Milan’s historical architecture play a role in your vision for the brand?

The city represents a source of creative inspiration. Th Milan’s architecture plays a role in this, absolutely. The mood and feel of a quarter, the skyline, the uniqueness of certain palazzi, they are all elements that, at a certain point, have inspired a collection or a new design.

Milan is a place of encounters in different worlds from fashion, design, and architecture, and all these encounters have played a fundamental role for me since I arrived in Milan.

How has the art of craftsmanship changed over time?

At Pomellato, craftsmanship is a key value. I am lucky to be working with my creative team and closely together with our in-house atelier. It is worth noting that Pomellato is one of the few Houses in the world with an integrated creative atelier. At Casa Pomellato in Milan, we also have more than 100 expert artisans who create our collections by hand. Our master artisans are a striking asset, and the use of time-honoured techniques allows Pomellato to create jewels of superb craftsmanship, which is the authentic Pomellato signature. At the same time, craftsmanship goes hand in hand with innovation. So, over the years we have introduced innovative tools and new ways without ever compromising our passion and commitment for hand-made jewellery.

Pomellato first entered the world of high jewellery in 2020. How did you bring this vision to life?

Our high jewellery sublimates Pomellato’s aesthetic codes in a relentless pursuit of beauty. Here, creative freedom and extraordinary craftsmanship meet in a special alchemy. When we created the first collection, we knew that we wanted special pieces that would fully express the brand’s unconventional spirit. This is why our high jewellery pieces reinvent our codes whilst remaining faithful to Pomellato’s identity and shaking the classic clichés of conservative jewellery. There is always a playful and unexpected touch in each jewel; a disruptive eccentric element, such as an oversized link or a chain tassel, a padlock or an unusual stone setting, or a unique colour combination. Everything speaks the Pomellato language.

Looking to the future, what do you foresee for the brand as it continues to grow?

The future is bright. The great potential of Pomellato is in the brand’s unique approach, a type of elegance that is typically Milanese, along with its capability of giving expression to jewellery and craftsmanship in a contemporary language.