Istanboulli Gioielli is a young jewellery brand created by siblings Vatche and Zarmine Istanboulli in Milan in 2011. The main idea of the brand is the creation of unique, timeless jewellery items for the very special occasions. Constant search of endless beauty, never ending desire to perceive something new, exploring the captivating world of jewellery art help them to make one-of-a-kind pieces painstakingly handcrafted by the most skilled artisans. I had a great chance to meet a talented jewellery designer and GIA Graduate Gemologist Vatche Istanboulli at the Vicenzaoro Show 2016 and to speak about inexhaustible passion and constant devotion to the art of making jewellery and future projects.
L.C.: When and how the brand Istanboulli was born?
V.I: Istanboulli Gioielli was founded at the end of 2011 as a natural result of a fifty -year-long history full of dedication to goldsmith arts and jewellery. In 2011 after launching the brand, we patented the logo, then we began to expand into the market starting with Asia. Asia is a market where we’re presented over the years, selling wholesale, we saw that there was a potentiality for the High Jewellery, having contacts, we started immediately with Asia.
L.C.: Each collection you make shows as your amazing creative universe. Where do you get your inspiration?
V.I.: The inspiration to create our jewelry comes from the study of the market, personal taste, because all our jewels are created by me, designed by me, all are my ideas. Most of our items are very elegant and simple as design, but undoubtedly the selection of stones, the selection of materials are always at the very high level, so the production becomes complicated, whatever you try to do in the best possible way starts becoming more complicated, you have to have more time to care it.
L.C.: What are your favourite stones? Why? What is your way of evaluating stones?
V.I.: Frankly speaking, diamond remains my favourite gemstone, I am passionate and I love diamonds, although in our collections there are the three most precious colored stones: ruby, sapphire, emerald. And we always try to keep all our collections based on these four gems. It sometimes happens to make exceptions with semiprecious stones, but it’s not our goal. Our main goal is to stay on the jewellery that remains over time precious and unique.
L.C.: Describe the woman wearing Istanboulli Gioielli.
V.C.: The world is vast and large, each country definitely has its own characteristics, its trends, Istanboulli jewels are very elegant and simple, so the woman has to be simple and elegant, but sometimes it’s interesting to find customers, ladies who dare to get out of the usual elegance for trying new things, new designs, new ideas, especially this year-2016 we are focusing on more original and creative items.
L.C.: What is your favourite part about being a jewellery designer?
V.I.: Any person that creates a jewel is inspired by his own life. If you are lucky to have an interesting life, that is already part of the beauty of creating a jewel. A singer, a writer, everybody gets inspiration from their own lives. For creating jewels I travel a lot, clearly the ideas come and then I produce them.
L.C.: Please share with us your plans for Istanboulli Gioielli for the next years particularly in Russia and Middle East.
V.I.: The Middle East remains one of the main markets for us. After the launch of the brand in 2011, we focused initially on Asia –the markets of Singapore,Malaysia and Hong Kong in particular, and then we started with the Middle East- the Gulf-Arabic countries. In 2016 for the first time we are going to participate at the Baselworld. The main reason is to enter the American market, so the 2016 will be the year to expand more towards the United States. We also will try to enter the Russian market the same year. 90% of our sales are in Asia and Middle East. Regarding Russia, we have contacts, but the contacts are to be developped and put on practice, by finding the right strategy and right partners. And we hope the year 2016 will be a prosperous year for Russia, for the collaboration together.
L.C.: Three key words that define Istanboulli Gioielli?
V.I.: Trend, elegance, eternity.
L.C.: What according you does contribute to your success?
V.I.: The success is coming from long days, nights without sleeping, working hard, trying to grow the company, to take it forward, so like a horse galloping ahead ever faster, more and more , with the idea of going more and more forward.
L.C.: The most valuable lesson you have learned until today?
V.I.: It is somehow a personal question. I would say to be respectful to any person; even if Istanboulli Gioielli is a product for a very high market, you have to respect any person, there should not be limits. When you respect a person the same way regardless the race, the nationality, the welfare – in a long-term , certainly, that way of thinking and behaving will help you.
L.C.: Is there anyone you would like to create a piece of jewellery for?
V.I.: Sophia Loren by far, because she is one of the most elegant women and the icon of the Italian style and femininity.
10 May 2016/Lusine Chilingarian
Photo Courtesy of Istanboulli Gioielli
www.istanboulligioielli.com
