Gianfranco Ferré's Jewelry Shines at Palazzo Madama in Turin

Palazzo Madama in Turin presents 'Gianfranco Ferré. Sotto un’altra luce: gioielli e ornamenti', an exhibition of over 200 bijoux designed by the late fashion icon and architect Gianfranco Ferré (1944-2007) between 1980 and 2007. Curated by art critic Francesca Alfano Miglietti and designed by Franco Raggi, a longtime collaborator of Ferré, the show highlights Ferré's unique approach to jewelry as an integral structural element of his garments, often serving as the starting point for design. Ferré, who graduated in architecture from Politecnico di Milano in 1969, treated clothing like architecture and used jewelry to anchor his textile structures. The pieces, made from mixed materials including brass, Swarovski crystal, glass, and wood, reference Renaissance court treasures and distant cultures (Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Amazonian, African, Polynesian). The exhibition runs at Palazzo Madama, a historic venue linked to queens Maria Cristina di Borbone and Maria Giovanna Battista di Savoia, creating a dialogue between the jewelry and its opulent setting.