WORDS & PICTURES: Brianna Cariola
Connect with Brianna on Instagram | Pinterest | BriannaCariola.com
If you’ve been following along for Viaggio Mag’s journey over the years, then it’ll come as no surprise that we’re staunch advocates for the benefits of travel. There is no end to the ways you can grow when encountering new people, cultures, and places, with each experience sculpting you into the person you’ve become.
This philosophy is embodied by the delicate handmade jewellery of Brianna Cariola Studio. Having begun her creative career as a photographer and travel writer, Brianna’s first collection is unsurprisingly artful, inspired by four of the destinations that hold the most meaning to her: Florence, Barcelona, Greece and the Philippines. The dainty nature of her handmade jewellery lends itself to a range of styles, and can either be worn as standalone pieces or layered with gold or silver chains.
We chatted to Brianna about her first collection, delving into the story behind the brand and the destinations that offered themselves to her craft. Read on below.
Looking for jewellery storage? Try Wintour’s stunning travel case!
Congratulations on the launch of your first jewellery collection! Tell us about how you first began handcrafting your own accessories.
Thank you so much! I was always interested in art and creating things by hand, even as a child. While my interests span across different types of art, jewellery making has become a fun medium to explore because the piece gets to be worn once I’ve finished creating it!
This past summer was when I really allowed myself the time and space to try out this craft. What started out as a creative project to help me unwind in my free time, has become a desire to create wearable pieces inspired by my travels. It is my hope that these dainty and feminine handmade jewellery pieces will be able to resonate with people who also appreciate the rich beauty of the world.
Explore Florence with our book lover’s guide.
This collection is inspired by destinations from around the world. What was it about each place that particularly influenced your designs?
GAIA: The Gaia set was inspired by the city in which I studied abroad during university and holds a special place in my heart: Florence, Italy. Those incredibly vivid Florentine sunsets show off their golden hour colours across the sky and reflect on the sparkling Arno River; an idyllic backdrop to a summer aperitivo on a rooftop bar.
ALMA: On a trip to Barcelona with my sister, we came across the whimsical architecture of Gaudí. There was a photo that I took of Casa Batlló, in which the morning sun cast the light a certain way so that the facade colors looked more muted and pastel. This inspired the color palette of the Alma set.
JASMINE: My family’s home country of The Philippines boasts of crystal clear waters lapping against white sand beaches. There is an elegance in the variety of diverse and picturesque landscapes across the thousands of islands. This set was especially fun to put together because I was able to up-cycle the genuine freshwater rice pearls from my mother’s old jewellery collection.
THEA: The lesser-known island of Agistri in Greece felt like a little hidden gem of a destination, where I could experience the tranquil atmosphere of Greek slow living without the summer crowds. What I can recall most vividly is being mesmerized by the countless shades of turquoise in those Aegean waters.
Browse Brianna’s Agistri photo journel here.
Do you have a favourite piece from this collection? Which is it, and why?
While I can see myself wearing any of these pieces on rotation as part of my wardrobe’s accessories, I would say the Jasmine set is my favorite! The Jasmine bracelet and necklace are classic and incredibly versatile. They can be worn as part of an elegant ensemble or with a more casual outfit – plus the white and gold in the design allows you to match them with essentially any clothing colour palette.
What can we expect from your next collection? Is travel something that will inspire each piece of jewellery you make?
The next collection will encompass a mix of cooler and darker tones, as well as some fun pops of colour! Also incorporating genuine gemstones into some of the new designs has been super fun, so I’m excited to launch as soon as I can.
I’m currently enjoying the creative process of experimenting with different styles and colour combinations to see what feels most true to what I’d like to create. I do see travel continuing to provide me with inspiration for design ideas, either from places I have been to in the past or ones I hope to visit one day!
This first collection showcases pieces that distinctly represent a certain country, and I believe that the next collection will follow that same framework. However if there’s a particular destination that captures my interest, I’d love to give myself the opportunity to further explore that. Who knows, maybe I could craft a collection based on a single city or country.
Where can we buy your handmade jewellery?
You can find my jewelry in my Etsy shop here: https://briannacariolastudio.etsy.com.
All of my pieces are made in small batches and handcrafted with love. You’ll find all of the bracelet and necklace sets from this current collection there, as well as new pieces from the upcoming collection, coming soon!
