From the Unification of Italy to the early years of the new millennium, costume jewelry has played an important role in Italian society. Unlike fine jewelry, which is a symbol of status and economic power concentrated in a small group of societal elite. Costume jewelry seamlessly interweaves the habits and customs of the Italian people in a way that unifies the local regional traditions into one shared codex of beauty. This form of artistry expresses the tastes of a broader community that speaks to life a narrative that is distinctly Italian and accessible to everyone.

Italian costume jewelry has a rich past which illustrates the history of Italy through Murano glass, Napoli coral, Florentine straw, Roman micro mosaics, the plastics and the non-precious metals invented during the autocracy, the Dolce Vita life style, and the birth of “Made in Italy,” which is synonymous with craftsmanship and the world’s most beloved fashion brands.

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In partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute of Belgrade and The Cologni Foundation for the Métiers d’Art, curator Bianca Cappello retells the story of costume jewelry--past and present in her highly anticipated exhibition, Wearing Beauty. The Great Italian Jewelry. The exhibition will run through Jule 12, 2016 at the Museo del Bijou in Casalmaggiore, Italy and will showcase 300 pieces of ornate costume jewelry created in Italy from the end of the 19th century to present day.

A selection of the exhibition will be dedicated to the amazing and unique pieces of stage jewels created by Corbella for the Lyric Theatre of La Scala in Milan between 1920's and 1930's.

Press for this event will be curated by Eugenia Gadaleta.