I met Christina Viviani a few months ago when a mutual friend invited me to a C. Viviani trunk show held one evening in an elegant, spacious loft in the Grammercy Park area. I was familiar with the line through magazines and websites, but had never had the opportunity to experience it close up until that evening. I was impressed with her use of unexpected textural combinations, and the sensual, tactile quality of the pieces. She recently invited me to her workspace in the West Village to photograph her creative process and to share some of her thoughts about being an artist in New York City.
Occupation: Jewelry designer.
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Style philosophy: I’m attracted to a mixture of masculine and feminine as it creates a playful balance. I also think its important to never stop reinventing yourself; as you change, so can your style.
Style icons/influences: Ah, so many! Women – whether historical figures, current tastemakers, or that girl walking down the street…
Describe your work: The collection is always driven by classic shapes or forms, whether organic or historical, then updated and twisted by using non-traditional materials.
Who wears your stuff? C. Viviani is worn by strong, sophisticated and effortlessly cool women, including musicians, models, photographers, stylists and artists.
Who (of note) would you like to dress? I’d love to see Tilda Swinton, Jennifer Connelly and Emmanuelle Alt in some of my pieces.
Memorable recent meal: This is a tough one, as I am a huge foodie, but I’m going to go with my West Village neighborhood spot, Mary’s Fish Camp. Or Degustation. The chef’s tasting menu has such complex and creative flavor combinations…left me mind-blown.
Later, we walked over to Sucre on Bleecker Street where Candace, one of the owners, tried on some stuff. The faceted “stones” in these pieces are actually made of a soft, elastic material that yields to the touch.
