By Randi Molofsky
If your ultimate diamond wishlist includes the most sparkly rock on the block, look no further than Hearts On Fire (HOF), a company that boasts the tagline, The World’s Most Perfectly Cut Diamond®.
Director of Design, Ilaria Lanzoni, has been with Hearts On Fire for four years, creating exceptional collections of jewelry around these dazzling diamonds. With 20 years of experience as a jewelry designer with top brands including Asprey and Garrard, she brought a new level of sophistication and European sensibility with her to HOF. We spoke to Ilaria and asked her five questions about her inspiration, her designs and what’s to come!
What about the perfection of an HOF diamond inspires your design?
When I joined Hearts On Fire, I was truly mesmerized by the beauty of the diamonds. And I am still blown away by their beauty every day. The perfection and quality allow me to do more creative designs than I would have ever imagined. Wait until you see our new collection this year! I am continuously working with my team to create new ideas of designs that can both be worn every day and proudly display the unique Hearts On Fire sparkle. It’s a challenge that any designer loves!
We’ve heard you use inspiration boards to help with your creative process. Why does this work for you and what’s currently on your inspiration board?
I do love inspiration boards – you should see my work space! I’m an incredibly visual person, and as I go about my daily life, I am constantly inspired by the world around me. It always comes from places you don’t expect it, so I like to memorize images and colors and shapes and add it to my working space so I can remember it in the future. As I mention below, all of my collections follow unique themes and are inspired by a particular place or experience…and these boards help capture the energy I am feeling.
I am constantly adding to my boards, and pin all sort of images on boards…architecture, house interiors, fashion accessories, pieces of fabrics, close-up pictures of details of all sorts, like doors, iron gates, windows…the list can go on and on. Every day is completely different and every day we see the world a little differently, too. That is what I am always building on.
Can you pick three of your favorite HOF designs and tell us why they are so successful?
It’s always hard to pick my favorites, but if I had to choose just a few that are loved by both myself and consumers, they would be the ILLA Cluster star pendant for being so timelessly fashionable, the Triplicity Lariat for being so elegantly sexy, and the Lorelei Diamond Floral pendant for its chic, feminine style. All of these designs seamlessly blend modern trends with the classic beauty of diamond jewelry, something that we always strive to create at Hearts On Fire.
Can you give us a sneak peek of what’s next for HOF jewelry?
We are incredibly excited to be launching our next designer jewelry collection in June at the 2016 Couture Show [an invitation-only event for the fine jewelry trade]! All of my collections are inspired by my personal experiences in life and mix timeless beauty with modern trends. The only hint I can give is that a year ago I moved to New York City, and that has impacted this next collection. So watch out for something blending a vibrant, edgy style with classic diamond beauty. It’s amazing!
