We are so lucky to be based n Trieste, a city by the sea, where you can not only find great inspiration but also trully inspiring people. One of them is Margherita Chinchio. Her colorful presence, bold personality and creative ingenuity make her a great peson to have around and I was  more than excited when she told me she could  answer this short interview for our Creative Minds Series about her jewelry line, which is as bold and beautiful as she is.

• Welcome Margherita! Tell us a bit about yourself, what is your background?

I was born and raised in Trieste, a city that I particularly love, not only because it’s my city but also because I believe it is a truly inspiring and creative place for all the different aspects it offers to the people that live and pass by it. I lived four years in Venice and that period was fundamental and very enriching for me, because it let me develop many of my passions and strengthen them in a unique context, like that. I graduated in Scenography and Theatre Costume  at the Academy of Fine Arts and during that period I understood how deep was my  passion for jewels and accessories in general. In fact, now, I am back in Trieste but I am planning to continue my studies abroad in Jewellery Design.

• What originally brought you into the world of jewelry making?

I am intrigued by the symbolic valour and the energy force that jewels have been representing in people’s lives. In my case, the pieces that I wear are an intimate manifestation of my identity and I like to think that I can give form to something that incarnates the essence of a thought, a way of being and its contradictions. This aspect, together with the great satisfaction that I take from every hands-on, artisan job I do, bring me to the direction of jewelry making.

• In your pieces, you are bringing together notions of art and fashion design. What is the connection you make between the two?

Actually, I have never thought of them as a separate thing. I think that they are two different expressions of the same world, wherein everything influences and is influenced naturally.

• Where do you draw inspiration from?

Every creative process is always the result of a very specific period and of everything it brings together. It’s great to see how every jewel is the outcome of this process, to recognise the importance of every influence in your own work and see it complete, a new and independent entity. What I am mostly interested in is the coexistence of contrasting influences, both in the concept and the materials. For this reason I think that there is nothing that is not influencing my work, and sometimes it’s actually difficult to recognise where the original idea came from. This way, it is very stimulating to understand what inspires us deeply and see how this influences our creative process before it is defined.

• One of your latest collections is called SCUBA, can you tell us more about it?

Even if after SCUBA I created two new collections featuring rings, I like to consider it as a project in continuous evolution, especially when materials are considered. The first jewels were made in rubber, so in neoprene and then in wood, leather and PVC. i like to consider the pieces of this collection as a sort of contemporary urban armour where pop influences are mixed with an ethnic flavour.

• In this collection, you are working together with a photographer. How is this collaboration informing your designs?

SCUBA has a particular starting point. I could even say that the photographic project was born before the collection itself. The basic idea for both of us was to create something completely different from our previous works. We had given ourselves quite restricted limits, which made the process very stimulating. The aim was to create a series of photos and a jewelry collection that would be inseparably linked to each other.

• In your collection’s photographs, you are using both male and female models. Is your line unisex?

I must say that I have never thought if a collection of jewelry made by me should be considered male or female. My pieces are for everybody who wants and likes to wear them.

• Nowadays, there is a lot of discussion on genderless fashion, with pieces wearable both by men and women. What is your take on that trend?

Yes, there is a lot of discussion around this subject lately. Generally, I believe that it would be nice not to even question what one could or could not wear, that being genderless fashion or not. Clothing is the most direct way that we have to express our individuality so I believe that everyone has to have the freedom to do this in the most representative way possible. The cultural contaminations and the gender represent the greatest richness we have,we shouldn’t be scared to express it, also through fashion.

• That’s right. So, where can we shop your collection?

For now, there isn’t a fixed place where one could buy my pieces. Sometimes you can find them in different shops, I like to try always new ones and see the people’s reactions! Soon I will be presenting in Trieste a new collection of rings, the result of a new collaboration, but the place is still a secret!

Follow Margherita on CargoCollective, Facebook and Instagram for more updates!

Photos by: Elio Germani and Sonicyut