By Åse Anderson
A truly stunning tiara is the inspiration behind the hotly anticipated new jewellery collection by British designer, Alice Cicolini. She will unveil her latest fine jewellery collection, entitled Summer Snow, at this month's Rock Vault - the jewellery showcase curated by Stephen Webster that forms part of the Designer Showroom at London Fashion Week.
Alice Cicolini describes the tiara as "capturing the essence of a summer bride in a contemporary, sophisticated way", and says it was inspired by a much-loved kimono print. Created as a bespoke commission, the tiara was worn at a wedding in September last year.
The carved disks, which have featured in many of her previous fine jewellery collections, have been turned into a cascade of delicate flowers set on gold, crafted to look like bamboo branches. Alice adds: "Drawing on these as a starting point, the tiara explored the potential of delicate crystal to transform the branches and leaves behind them into a more liquid and dreamy landscape, like a pastelised Monet."
Named after the snow-like flurries of pollen that fall from poplar trees in Moscow in the height of summer, turning the city into a fairytale landscape, the Summer Snow collection develops these design concepts further while also adding a touch of Art Nouveau styling.
Hand-carved blossoms sit on intricate metalwork that loops in dramatic curves, while arcs of white diamonds are interspersed with colourful stones in the shape of tourmalines, sapphires and morganites.
