Growing up with Italian family, jewellery was always more than just an accessory. The go-to special gift for all of life’s major celebrations and milestones, and passed down through the generations, the sentimental value of our treasured jewellery pieces far outweighed its actual value.
Grandma Celia with my mum in the late 1950s
For me it was my grandma Celia’s jewellery that always especially caught my eye - the beautifully decorative Catholic holy medals adorned with images of saints, crucifix necklaces she’d had her whole life, gold bracelets in different designs all stacked together on the wrist, the beautiful engagement ring that my grandad, not usually one for for fashion, had had custom made.
Grandma Celia in 2021 aged 91 wearing some of her favourite jewellery
The best thing about this jewellery was the fact that it was never hidden away in a box for a special occasion, it was worn, every single day, and enjoyed to the fullest.
Vellva was named Velva, after the little village nestled high up in the Ligurian mountains in Northern Italy that my grandma’s family came from as a tribute to her as my original inspiration.
My mum visiting family in Italy in the 1980s
As well as inspiring a lot of the Vellva aesthetic, I share my grandma’s attitude that jewellery should be enjoyed - treasured but never hidden away.
I hope that you love Vellva jewellery as much as I have enjoyed creating it.
Marie-Claire, Vellva Founder