Face-to-face with the Florentine designer
An established designer worldwide as a result of her bijoux with their unmistakable style, today Angela Caputi vaunts five boutiques in the most elegant and authentic areas of Florence, Forte dei Marmi, Rome and Milan. She has also entered some of the most important museums in the world, like The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY, the Museo degli Argenti and the Galleria del Costume in Florence. Her art and fashion creations are characterized by constantly evolving creativity and a fervid imagination.
What distinguishes Angela Caputi’s world of bijoux?
Color. A distinctive style. I like to think of women of different nationalities who recognize each other in the airport without ever having met before. A very female thing. There is a significant relationship of complicity and friendship between myself and my clients: a bond between women.
What is your first memory linked to the world of bijoux?
Actually, it was a crescendo ... I became passionate about this world by studying the crafts of different peoples and communities. To them, the creation of jewels and bijoux was a cultural expression. To this day, this type of objects is an artistic representation of our civilization, the female one in particular.
Women have been a primary source of inspiration for you: is there one (or more) who significantly influenced you throughout your life?
I am inspired by everyday life. Women are all the same to me, and I don't make distinctions. Each one knows how to inspire me in her own way: it is very important to have a direct relationship with my clients; a simple chat can spark many different ideas and projects.
Which materials do you use for your creations?
Synthetic resins. They allow me to create always new shapes in an infinite range of colors and finishes. I really want to say that all the materials I use are made in Italy.
What are the colors, shapes, and materials of your next collection?
When it comes to materials, it is always synthetic resins. As for shapes and colors, everything is evolving. At a time like this, it is difficult to work long-term ... I think it is even more important to keep up with daily evolvements and work day by day, drawing upon what is happening in the world.
Which changes do you believe the lockdown we have just been through (and which we are still partly going through) have brought with regard to style and personal care?
You cannot pretend that the dramatic situation we are living through is not happening. This is not the time to play but to live in the present. At the moment, life, work, family are blended together in a day-to-day experience that has its own rules which we should listen to. I have always followed my clients; I like to portray and express their lifestyle with my creations. Now I want to do that even more. Fashion is not a distinct concept, it is not a separate world. I want to stay close to my clients at all times.
So, you think the concept of fashion is changing?
There has been a great silence around fashion that has made me think a lot. Fashion has to return to the world of culture, where it was born, but from which it has moved away. This crisis could be a good thing for seeing what it means to start again.
What inspires you?
I draw my inspiration from everyday life. Life is made up of simple things.
You have always tried to give value to the Florentine artisan tradition with your creations. How much do ‘handmade’ and ‘know how’ count today?
Craftsmanship is creativity. Sensitivity, imagination. An artisan is a person who creates something and explains it to the viewer. It is the dialogue that creates the crafts, and this is a global thing so it cannot die. I am convinced it will continue in a different way that we will accept because it will be the future. And the future is always accepted with enthusiasm.
You have won numerous awards and recognitions. What makes you the proudest?
It is always a great pleasure to win an award, I have to be honest, but the satisfaction of a woman who thanks me for the right purchase, or a compliment received, gives me even greater joy.
What distinguishes Angela Caputi’s world of bijoux?
Color. A distinctive style. I like to think of women of different nationalities who recognize each other in the airport without ever having met before. A very female thing. There is a significant relationship of complicity and friendship between myself and my clients: a bond between women.
What is your first memory linked to the world of bijoux?
Actually, it was a crescendo ... I became passionate about this world by studying the crafts of different peoples and communities. To them, the creation of jewels and bijoux was a cultural expression. To this day, this type of objects is an artistic representation of our civilization, the female one in particular.
Women have been a primary source of inspiration for you: is there one (or more) who significantly influenced you throughout your life?
I am inspired by everyday life. Women are all the same to me, and I don't make distinctions. Each one knows how to inspire me in her own way: it is very important to have a direct relationship with my clients; a simple chat can spark many different ideas and projects.
Which materials do you use for your creations?
Synthetic resins. They allow me to create always new shapes in an infinite range of colors and finishes. I really want to say that all the materials I use are made in Italy.
What are the colors, shapes, and materials of your next collection?
When it comes to materials, it is always synthetic resins. As for shapes and colors, everything is evolving. At a time like this, it is difficult to work long-term ... I think it is even more important to keep up with daily evolvements and work day by day, drawing upon what is happening in the world.
Which changes do you believe the lockdown we have just been through (and which we are still partly going through) have brought with regard to style and personal care?
You cannot pretend that the dramatic situation we are living through is not happening. This is not the time to play but to live in the present. At the moment, life, work, family are blended together in a day-to-day experience that has its own rules which we should listen to. I have always followed my clients; I like to portray and express their lifestyle with my creations. Now I want to do that even more. Fashion is not a distinct concept, it is not a separate world. I want to stay close to my clients at all times.
So, you think the concept of fashion is changing?
There has been a great silence around fashion that has made me think a lot. Fashion has to return to the world of culture, where it was born, but from which it has moved away. This crisis could be a good thing for seeing what it means to start again.
What inspires you?
I draw my inspiration from everyday life. Life is made up of simple things.
You have always tried to give value to the Florentine artisan tradition with your creations. How much do ‘handmade’ and ‘know how’ count today?
Craftsmanship is creativity. Sensitivity, imagination. An artisan is a person who creates something and explains it to the viewer. It is the dialogue that creates the crafts, and this is a global thing so it cannot die. I am convinced it will continue in a different way that we will accept because it will be the future. And the future is always accepted with enthusiasm.
You have won numerous awards and recognitions. What makes you the proudest?
It is always a great pleasure to win an award, I have to be honest, but the satisfaction of a woman who thanks me for the right purchase, or a compliment received, gives me even greater joy.