Pomellato’s modern icons for modern women

From prêt-à-porter jewellery in the ‘60s to the voluptuous newcomers in its Iconica collection, Pomellato has redefined contemporary jewellery for every era. Oversized and pillowy, the gilded handles on the door to every Pomellato boutique meld comfortably into the curves of every palm that pushes against them. In this sensory moment, introduced before any jewellery has been seen or touched, a subliminal message is conveyed: at the Milanese jewellery brand Pomellato, everything begins with the tactile curves of a band of gold.

Indeed, those handles that now inaugurate every visitor into the Pomellato universe were themselves introduced about 50 years ago as a band ring. Created by founder Pino Rabolini during the brand’s early days in the 1970s, the piece was characterised by voluminous proportions and a generously rounded profile. Its distinctive form lives on today—not just in the aforementioned door handles, but also in the chunky rings found within Pomellato’s aptly named Iconica collection.

Lovingly remembered as a visionary, Rabolini came from a long line of goldsmiths. He, however, eschewed the stuffy traditions of the trade. In his designs, he professed a devotion to the modern woman, pioneering the idea of prêt-à-porter jewellery with the launch of Pomellato in 1967. Inspired by the rise of ready-to-wear fashion and feminine liberation that gripped the trendsetters of the ‘60s, he wanted to recreate the same experience in jewellery. Women, he believed, no longer had to wait for men to buy them jewellery that, post-purchase, was often destined for the vault and never saw the light of day. Modern women were ready to buy their jewels for themselves, and these pieces had to be light and carefree enough to be worn as everyday accessories.