Editor’s Note
This article explores the legacy of Fulco di Verdura, the Sicilian nobleman and jeweler whose iconic 1935 creation for Cole Porter’s wife recently resurfaced, reminding us how his bold designs continue to captivate the world of high jewelry.
In 2016, a piece of gorgeous high jewelry stole the spotlight at the Baselworld watch and jewelry fair in Switzerland. On display was an aquamarine “belt” necklace made for the wife of composer Cole Porter, priced at $1.75 million. It was created in 1935 by the American jeweler Paul Flato, with the design credited to Duke Fulco di Verdura.
His full name was Fulco Santostefano della Cerda, Duke of Verdura and Marquis of Murata la Cerda. He was a nobleman from an old family who believed there was no brilliant future to be had by remaining in Sicily. It was reminiscent of Visconti’s film “The Leopard,” and for good reason—the film was based on a novel by Fulco’s cousin, the Duke of Lampedusa.
A turning point in his life came in the 1920s when he met the Cole Porters, who were visiting Sicily on their honeymoon. Traveling through Europe with them, Verdura hosted an extravagant costume ball at his ancestral palace, inviting influential members of high society, including Gabrielle Chanel, and gained their acquaintance.
Having exhausted his fortune on the ball, he moved to Paris, where he first designed textiles and later costume jewelry for Chanel. He accompanied Chanel when she visited Ravenna, Italy, to see the mosaics from the Byzantine era, as she was fascinated by Byzantine art.
Inspired by the impressions from that trip, he created the “Ravenna” and “Theodora” pendant-brooches. These became great favorites of Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland. Similarly, Verdura’s signature “Maltese Cross” cuff bracelet became etched in public memory as a signature piece for both Gabrielle Chanel and Vreeland.
In 1934, he left Chanel and moved to the United States, joining Paul Flato’s company. It was around this time that he designed the aforementioned “belt” necklace. At Flato’s store, known as the “jeweler to the stars,” his originality captivated Hollywood’s leading ladies such as Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn, and Joan Fontaine.
After leaving Paul Flato, he opened his own salon on September 3, 1939—the very day World War II began in Europe. Located on Fifth Avenue in New York, the salon saw billionaires from high society flocking to acquire Verdura’s jewelry.
His designs were free-spirited, classical yet avant-garde. The bright colors, reminiscent of Sicilian sunlight, left a strong impression. The large brooches crafted from real seashells could be called whimsical jewelry. Furthermore, the sculptural jewelry created in collaboration with painter Salvador Dalí was said to explore themes of mythology, the Renaissance, love and faith, and the cruelty of war.
In 1978, Fulco di Verdura passed away at the age of 79, surrounded by glory. However, the brand did not disappear. Five years later, a project began to revive jewelry pieces based on the more than 10,000 design drawings and sketches he left behind.
Verdura, whose name is etched in 20th-century jewelry history, still maintains a store on Fifth Avenue in New York and is also available at Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. For a period in the 1980s, there were Verdura corners in Japanese department stores, but they are no longer available today. Yet, he is a jeweler of exceptional creativity, one that is too precious to remain unknown.
