A Bold Influence: Laura Lombardi
With a background in sculpture and illustration, New York jewellery designer Laura Lombardi’s collections are as artistic as they are bold. Working with new, recycled and found materials, Laura designs earrings, necklaces, cuffs, and rings which mirror the organic shapes of the body and pay homage to a vintage aesthetic.
Earrings and bracelets with interlocking circles, cascading drop earrings, sculptural hoops and delicate chokers are some of the key pieces in Laura’s collection.
Laura describes her artistry as “a raw industrial style balanced with elements of classical art and design. Each piece is distinctive, and should be worn and defined fluidly by the wearer.”
Whilst studying sculpture at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts in Boston, Laura worked part-time at a jeweller. Her love and curiosity in the craft grew from here, with the intricacies and fluidity of jewellery design crossing over into her sculptural works and eventually taking over.
Working from a small studio space in Brooklyn, Laura draws inspiration from living in New York as well as her Italian heritage. She is very focused on her material selection, as they are the starting point for the designs and stimulate her creative visions. Her ideas evolve from the material’s original purpose, tactility, and shape which beautifully translates through to the final design.
Working with raw, everyday materials recontextualized, Laura’s jewellery is bold and robust yet incredibly light and smooth. She works with a variety of precious metals including vintage, new and gold-plated brass, white bronze, 14Kt gold and sterling silver. The beauty of working with vintage materials and reclaimed metals is that every design is unique, with ever-evolving patinas, which add character and individuality to each piece. The warm golden hues of the brass, bronze, and gold are eye-catching, designed to tenderly coexist with the body as if each piece was deliberately designed for its wearer.
Credits: Laura Lombardi
