You could say that creativity is in the DNA of designer Paloma Picasso, the daughter of one of the 20th century’s most influential artists, Pablo Picasso and Françoise Gilot, painter and writer. With that kind of family background, it’s no surprise that Anne Paloma Ruiz-Picasso y Gilot has forged a prolific design career of her own, including a 45-year collaboration with jeweler Tiffany & Co.
First Jewelry Designs
Born on April 19, 1949 in Vallauris, France, Paloma’s name, which means dove in Spanish, was inspired by the symbol that her father had designed for the World Peace Council’s World Congress of Partisans for Peace, held in Paris around the time she was born. Paloma grew up between Paris and the South of France, constantly surrounded by artists and other creatives. While she did some drawing, it was not her calling. Paloma was more interested in creating her own career success rather than in relying on the names of her parents for her accomplishments.
She studied at the Universite Paris Nanterre and became involved in the Paris avant-garde theater scene as a costume designer. She quickly gained recognition for an innovative rhinestone necklace that she made from a flea-market find for one of the productions. Paloma was so encouraged by this success that she decided to further pursue her jewelry design studies, which served her well.
Paloma made some jewelry pieces and showed them to her friend, couturier Yves Saint Laurent, who hired her on the spot to make accessories for one of his runway shows. In 1971, Paloma launched a collection of costume jewelry, inspired by the 1940s, at Saint Laurent’s Paris Rive Gauche boutique. A few years later, in 1979, Paloma landed at the Greek jewelry company, Zolotas, where she sharpened her jewelry making skills.
Paloma Goes to Tiffany & Co.
A pivotal moment in Paloma’s career came in 1979, when former Tiffany & Co. design director, John Loring, invited her to design a table setting for one of the firm’s exhibitions. It was such a successful alliance that within the year, Paloma was designing a jewelry collection for the American jeweler. According to the Tiffany & Co. website, “Embodying the art and culture movement of the 1980s in New York City, Paloma was a progressive choice for Tiffany & Co.” While Loring called her jewelry designs “aggressively chic and uncompromisingly stylized.”
Indeed, her jewelry is a look at the world through a different prism. In keeping with her philosophy of “finding beauty in unexpected places”, one of her first collections was Paloma’s Graffiti, turning reviled street art into precious wearable art, giving new legitimacy to street artists at a time when everyone was upset about subway tagging.
Her Olive Leaf collection is inspired by the olive trees surrounding her home in Marrakesh and is also a nod to peace, hope and harmony, attributes associated with the plant. She also has designed several versions of doves, while her oversized gemstone bead necklaces continue to be a favorite.
Paloma’s Personal Style
Paloma is known for her exciting color combinations, sleek lines and bold, oversized shapes creating graphic jewels that make a statement in style. Paloma herself is known for her personal style and has been a presence on the International Best Dressed List with seven mentions, between 1978 and 1992. Her red lipstick is part of her signature style and has been since she first wore it at as a six year old child.
Paloma’s Accolades
Paloma has received numerous recognitions for her work. She was honored by Fashion Group International (FGI) for her contributions to the industry and Hispanic Designers Inc., gave her its MODA award for design excellence. In 2011, Paloma had an exhibition of her work at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. She also has a necklace featuring a 396.30-carat kunzite in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and a 408.63-carat moonstone bracelet with diamond lightning bolts at the Field Museum in Chicago.
After 45 years with Tiffany & Co., Paloma continues her collaboration with the storied jeweler, bringing her exuberant, sophisticated designs to a new generation.
Top of Page: Paloma Picasso photo by Eduardo Correa, public domain, courtesy Wiki Commons.
Authored by Amber Michelle