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PEOPLE Di Franco Con Amore Ring in (or bracelet in) the new year in high style with this bold & beautiful Italian jewelry line Words by Martin Haro For Milanese jeweler Franco Pianegonda, designing is very much like…cooking? Well, yes, yes it is, for, he says, creating something as deeply personal as a statement someone will wear around their neck or their wrist is akin to fixing a dish that will nourish them: It has to be made with love. "In luxury, people seek truth," Pianegonda said when we met in his showroom in South Beach's Alton Road, a space for VVIPs, shoppers, and stylists that complements his recently opened flagship at Aventura Mall. "My clients deserve the truth, and they deserve that I put my soul into my creations. Every material I use is natural – that's important because what matters most is what goes into my designs. The intention behind it. It's not just about making the piece – it's about focusing on what you want the client to feel." That Zen approach to jewelry-making has set the charming Italian apart from the rest, earning him the attention of the likes of Rihanna, Usher, Enrique Iglesias, Jennifer Lopez, and Sienna Miller, among other trendsetting celebrities. Since his brand's inception – an industry veteran, he has been designing for more than two decades and is considered one of Italy's most successful jewelers – Pianegonda has overseen not only its creative direction but its operations, too. His motto is "Make Yourself Happy," and he has ensured with four separate lines that no one if left out. The Veritas line is for that sophisticated woman who knows exactly who she is. A girl no more, she is confident, strong, a little older but vibrant…in her prime. The franco P line, on the other hand, is for a younger, more adventurous woman who is still testing the waters of her own identity and style. Men – "a growing demo in the jewelry business" – have their own line, appropriately named Character, which is oh-so-masculine, yet oh-so-playful, while the wee ones are celebrated with items from the Bambini (girls and boys now can rock their own baubles just like mommy and daddy). Season's musts What Pianegonda has cooked up for this season is widely imaginative and strong and, of course, wearable, sourcing inspiration and mixing two unlikely elements: animals and the cosmos. He has produced a collection that is both fluid and cohesive…a collection that's quite heavy on spheres and influenced by the fierce movements and poses found in the wild. The resulting bracelets, cufflinks, earrings, and rings are ethereal and earthy. Pieces both big and small are meant to be noticed and admired and, more importantly, enhanced by the sheer happiness they are meant to bring out in whomever wears them. Veritas boasts infinitely chain- linked, folded, textured, and smooth sterling silver united with 18-karat gold, natural river pearls, and precious stones, which symbolize energy, while franco P features textured and smooth sterling silver combined with buffalo tusks, natural river pearls, and precious stones, evoking the promise of cosmic life. The Character line for men is all about chain-link, textured and smooth silver. Pianegonda has mixed and matched it with leather and beads, as well as onyx, and covered the gamut of a man's needs keeping in mind a need for lack of flash – there are bracelets, cufflinks, necklaces, pendants, rings, and money clips that are subdued but still very fashionable and powerful. The new Bambini line is, in one word, adorable. Cute, tiny pieces that echo the ones worn by the grown-ups perfect for Miami's budding fashionistas. Pianegonda's prices start at $450 and his jewelry also can be found at retailers such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. To reach the Aventura store, call 305-932-8283. For more information, visit francopianegonda.net. ML MIAMI LIVING 75