Up until now, Italian-native, now New Yorker, Stefania Pramma has predominantly designed jewellery. But last year she established Pramma, her first foray into handbags. Except all is not as straight forward as it seems. This isn't just a nice side project but a chance to fuse her talent for creating both accessories, quite literally. Stefania has embedded semi-precious stones into her handbags – they decorate the clasps and sit subtly amidst her simple, luxury leathers. The designer has given the bags unique motifs such as carved figures of Topper the dachshund, Ladienne the poodle and Edgar the French bulldog. It's not everyday a handbag range arrives that feels this fresh.

Stefania told Because her story…

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My childhood was a very happy one. I grew up in a small city in the northern province of Milano, considered as very elegant, distinctive and subtle. Display of wealth and ostentation were considered tacky. I have an identical twin sister, Valeria, and a younger brother. My father was an entrepreneur and a self-made man who never stopped telling me I can achieve anything I put my mind to, combined with hard work, which I still consider as one of the most important life lessons. My mother loved fashion and used to take my sister and I to her tailor to make our dresses and bathing suits. We were very specific in terms of designs and fabrics, which I am still today with all my designs and creations. When I was little, I designed a pair of shoes at a local shoe maker...they were quite good! I was really proud to have accomplished something with my own hands, and that is when my passion for design and craftsmanship started. I was exposed to craftsmanship and creating from an early age. I learned from my parents the beauty of individuality. They really reinforced the importance of being your own person and your unique self.

I have always loved jewellery from an early age! My family would have an artisan jewellery designer making pieces from our designs. This would be for Christmas and birthday presents. The design process has always been my favourite part. 

During summer, my sister and I worked together at a cashmere lab in the Italian Riviera. Always at the end of the summer I would go home with a new cashmere jumper. Years later our label SvP entered the world of fashion accessories. We created a small capsule collection consisting of hats, gloves as well as cashmere accessories. It was all part of our journey and our desire to experiment with fabrics and designs.

I have lived most of my adult life in NYC. I initially moved there in 1986 for my studies, where I completed a course in Diamonds at the GIA and right after I enrolled at the FIT fashion illustration undergraduate program.

When my sister and I decided to do a jewellery line together, we went around northern Italy visiting artisans and stone suppliers. The jeweller who created our collection is still in the same location in Milano. I visit him to this day, and now his whole family works in the shop. Personal relationships are at the core of my passion for design and the process. Vale and I still create new unique pieces for the SvP collection, and it still feels as special as it did when we were growing up.

A real changing point in my career was when I started designing handbags at Judith Leiber, without any real experience in the field of handbag design. Her bags are almost jewellery-like so it was a great stepping stone for my career. I have designed handbags for Barry Kieselstein-Cord. He is an American Fine Jeweller. I was blown away by his pieces and very inspired by how he created a very successful unique handbag line, inspired by animals. I wanted the same sculptural feel to the hardware of my handbags. I wanted the final product to show the quite complicated process.

The design process of handbags and jewellery is quite similar; design and sketches are done by hand, which is very important to me. A lot happens on paper first. Sourcing of material and the actual execution is quite different. Handbags have a lot more elements, each one has its own specific design. The final product is the result of many talented hands. It is like a little community that gets together. In Pramma’s case the jewellery process is included into the handbag design process; it adds an extra element of complexity, fun and reward for me.

Text by Prudence Wade