Nina Ricci Vintage Costume Jewelry
Few have had such an impact on fashion trends as Nina Ricci. The brand’s jewelry became part of Parisian chic and a role model. Nina Ricci managed to combine classic and innovative elements, influencing a whole generation of designers and inspiring them to create their own jewelry lines.
From early childhood and throughout her life, Maria Adelaide Giuseppa Nielli was known as Nina. At the age of 12, she moved with her family to France. Young Nina began learning dressmaking from a seamstress. She possessed a natural talent and, by her early twenties, had become a professional fashion designer.
Nina Ricci
In 1904, Nina married Luigi Ricci. Although the marriage was short-lived, the Ricci name became part of a world-famous brand. Nina and Luigi had a son, Robert, who became his mother’s support, continuing and expanding the family business. In 1932, he persuaded his mother to open her own fashion house in Paris.
Robert Ricci
Nina designed the collections, while Robert managed the business. In a short period of time, the Nina Ricci fashion house moved from a small store to three large buildings. Unlike many fashion houses that struggled to make ends meet during World War II, Nina Ricci grew and expanded rapidly.
NR jewelry
The house began producing a line of perfumes, leather goods, and jewelry. Crafted from precious materials using modern techniques, NR jewelry enjoyed incredible success. NR jewelry included rhodium-plated sterling silver, gold, electroplating, precious and semi-precious stones, mother-of-pearl, pearls, and resin.
Unique mounting techniques, laser engraving, and multi-layered enamel were extensively used in production, lending depth and character to the jewelry. All of this made each Nina Ricci piece not only beautiful but also a significant style statement.
Collaborating with D’Orlan
In 1984, D’Orlan began collaborating with the French fashion house Nina Ricci. Together, they developed a technology for triple-plating 22-karat gold (or rhodium) over a pewter base metal. This gave the pieces a shine comparable to fine jewelry.
The merger of Ricci and PUIG
Following the death of Robert Ricci in 1988, the Spanish group PUIG acquired the Nina Ricci fashion house. Although in 2015 the brand officially discontinued its jewelry collections, interest in them continues. In fact, demand for Nina Ricci jewelry is growing. This is due to its status as a part of fashion history and collector’s item.
Nina Ricci has been a favorite of many celebrities, from old Hollywood to contemporary stars and public figures. Among those who have worn the brand’s jewelry are Audrey Hepburn, Natalie Portman, and Marion Cotillard.
