Verdura
(1898 - 1978)
Born in 1898 and christened Fulco Santostefano della Cerda, the Duke of Verdura, was the only son of an eccentric Sicilian family.Verdura and his sister Maria Felice were immensely loved and pampered by
their relatives. They lived in Villa Niscemi just outside the city of Palermo.
.In 1919 his father died and Verdura left Palermo with his inheritance and spent the next years pursuing high society and its pleasures in Cannes, Venice, and Paris. In 1926, while in Venice, he attended one of the legendary parties hosted by Linda and Cole Porter in the Palazzo Rezzonico. Thus, began a friendship that would last for over forty years.
The Porters recognized Verdura’s talent and encouraged him to pursue a career that would allow it to flourish. Taking their advice, Verdura went to Paris that same year to work as a textile designer for Coco Chanel. Chanel too noticed Verdura’s talent and asked him to redesign her jewelry. For the next six years Verdura became Chanel’s head jewelry designer, creating pieces to complement Chanel’s collection, including those who would become Chanel’s signature; two wide, enameled cuff bracelets encrusted with a jeweled Maltese cross, and a pair of pearl earrings surrounded by gold braid.
In 1934, the Duke of Verdura and a close friend Baron Nicolas de Gunzburg traveled to the United States. Nicky de Gunzburg became a fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and editor-in chief at Town & Country. Verdura began designing for jeweler Paul Flato in New York. In 1937, Flato opened a store in Los Angeles and asked Verdura to run it. Verdura found both friends and clients among the film society such as Gary Cooper, James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Jack Benny, Rita Hayworth, Olivia de Havilland, Katharine Hepburn, and many others.
In 1939, Verdura returned to New York and with the encouragement and support of Cole Porter, started his own business at 712 Fifth Avenue, on September 1, 1939, on the eve of Second World War. Despite the war, Verdura was an immediate success.
During the years, Verdura accepted many special commissions from his clients, designing pieces for every occasion. Unlike many other jewelers, Verdura worked closely with his designs so that each piece is a direct reflection of his personality. His earliest association was with the firm of Valliant and Deverne. In 1952, Verdura met Andre Chervin, a talented French jeweler who translated Verdura’s designs into the beautiful pieces that became one of the firm’s trademarks and revived interest in fine enamel jewelry again.
Verdula created a large variety of designs taking inspiration from nature, like birds in flight or pecking at jeweled berries, of ears of corn, and golden pineapples; of jeweled animals and an Eden of jeweled flowers, poodles in velvet jackets, cats playing with pearl balls, sea horses, dolphins, and mythological sea creatures such as a mermaid admiring herself in a mirror, and a pearl-breasted merman brandishing two sapphire torches. While Verdura was inspired by the Renaissance, and ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, he would create his designs with new or newly discovered materials. During the war he was the first designer to use colored stones and gold when platinum and diamonds were being produced by other houses. He was also the first to incorporate actual shells and pebbles into his work.
In 1941, Verdura collaborated with Salvador Dali on a collection of painted jewels; paintings by Dali, jewels by Verdura.
In 1972, Verdura moved to London, England and sold his business to his long-time associate Joseph Alfano. He wrote his memoirs, and worked on a series of miniature paintings; landscapes, still-lifes and interiors.In the summer of 1978, Verdura died and his ashes were taken to Palermo to the family plot.
