When Elsa Peretti discovered what would later be her forever home in the modest, 17th-century Spanish village of Sant Martí Vell, the cottage was a far cry from the glittering lights of New York City. Upon first glance, the sleepy Catalonian village is unassuming. But cradled by wisteria and roses and situated halfway up a hill, Casa Pequeña – which marked the first of Peretti’s many restorations in the village – was love at first sight. During an era of decadence, with the designer spending much of her time in the hyper-creative circles of Manhattan, the distinction between her new home in the village just north of Barcelona and the legacy that was brewing in New York City was perhaps one of the earliest signs of the paradoxical life she would go on to live.
For many of us, it’s Peretti’s prolific and influential designs for jewellery House Tiffany & Co. that first come to mind when we think of the Italian designer. And understandably so. Beginning her tenure with the New York-based jeweller in 1974, Peretti became so instantly synonymous with the Maison that her first designs sold out in a day. In the 50 years since this collection, the relationship between the pair has morphed into an eternal creative dance – one that has cemented its own distinct characteristics and language and continues to contribute to the world of design even posthumously, following Peretti’s passing in 2021. It only seemed fitting then that, to honour a designer that did not conform to the status quo, but rather redefined it, the jeweller released three new pieces in celebration of half a century of cherished partnership and collaboration.
New iterations of Peretti’s unmistakable Bone cuff are presented in two new ring designs – a Bone ring and a Split ring – and an 18-karat gold cuff handset with a teardrop of pavé diamonds. As this anniversary continues into the new year, the evolution of her creations will follow suit, paying homage to her passion for nature and organic forms – designs that were sensual, talismanic even, signifying symbols of female empowerment and transforming the relationship women had with jewellery. But it’s impossible to honour the legacy she was crafting globally, without exploring her most intimate environment, where she felt cosmically aligned.
It’s true what they say, if you want to see how someone creates, you must first see how they live. Our sacred spaces, for better or for worse, reveal all – our passions, dreams, obsessions splattered across walls, in our gardens, in the way that one sets their dining room table ahead of a meal. In Peretti’s case, Spain became the backbone to her creative ingenuity. (It was Spanish silversmith, Vincent Abad, after all, with whom she began experimenting and working with to create her first open bottle design, inspired by a bud vase she had found at a flea market).
Upon entering Casa Pequeña, you’re first greeted by a series of black-and-white photographs on a desk, documenting Peretti working with local builders and artisans, whom she referred to as her albaliñes, to restore the home when she first purchased it in 1968; above them, a pinboard with sketches and notes, and the last Tiffany catalogue she had worked on. Though separated by physical distance, her two worlds were always intrinsically linked. Throughout the home, references to her life as a jeweller are carefully placed amongst a collection of local art, contrasted by internationally recognised designers and artists. A Gaudi Batlló bench complete with curved seats draws parallels to her famous Bean collection, while Japanese black silk tassels, which she would later reference and incorporate in her jewellery and homeware collections, hang by a door. “I can’t copy nature,” the designer famously said, and yet, Peretti’s creations became not only items, but a way of life. It was a sentiment that bled into her home and creations, uniting the two under her belief that beauty and utility should always be as one. “You think about the beauty and what you want to transmit. If I think about designing, I can’t design.”
Even in their restoration, there’s an uncompromised honesty in the selection and preservation of materials that are celebrated throughout the homes. Original features like stone walls, beams, fireplaces and traditional stone sinks were maintained by Peretti; a reflection of her gravitational pull towards materials that told their own stories. An obsessive collector, she found purpose and function in unconventional pieces. Take for example her famous dining table – an ancient millstone used to crush olives – that was so big and heavy, it required to be craned in through a window. Surrounding it, are six carefully placed chairs, a collaboration between Peretti and Catalan artist and sculptor Xavier Corberó. But it’s what is placed in the centre of the table that commands our attention. The hands of her Mother, painter and poet, Maria Luisa Pighini, are sculpted in marble, delicately lit by a low-hanging light that dangles above.
At the time of her passing, Peretti had purchased and renovated 27 houses and large farmhouses. It was well known that, over the years, she had rented the majority to friends, artists and local creatives, while living between four of them – Casa Pequeña, Casa Grande, Can Noves and Casa Caballo – some of which are linked by a series of underground tunnels. Like a spirit in migration, she moved from residence to residence, finding solace in each creation according to the season, mood or even her guests. Sant Martí Vell became a village just for her. It was the centre of her universe.
