A Hoop Is Forever

An interview with Amedeo Scognamiglio, co-founder of Faraone Mennella and AMEDEO, reveals a passionate life devoted to jewelry, Italian elegance, and modernizing cameos into coveted talismans.

Sometimes it's truly challenging to convey the intensity of certain interviews when you're face to face with someone who has truly lived, but above all, loved life and all its facets. This is Amedeo Scognamiglio, co-founder alongside the late Roberto Faraone Mennella († 2020), of the jewelry brands Faraone Mennella and AMEDEO. The former is an ode to the Dolce Vita, colors, and Italian elegance found only in Capri: it's the essence of two young men who in 2001 conquered the world with their smile and their charming demeanor. "It's a story of love, business, and personal relationships that projected Roberto and me into the Olympus of the luxury industry," says Amedeo. "It was initially the only way for us to stay together and do something together, especially after Roberto graduated from Parsons School in New York." The latter, AMEDEO “King of Cameos”, founded in 2006, is more conceptual, celebrating the art of Cameos in all its facets and interpretations: it epitomizes modernity with its countless renditions of a traditional craft like Cameos, which for decades had been relegated to the attic as an antique piece, ”Grandma’s Jewelry” and would never again see the light of day. Yet now, thanks to Amedeo's vibrant creative spirit, the cameo has become cool, new, and a "talisman," so much so that Spike Lee (superstitious as he is) commissioned a piece for his Oscar nomination, which he won," proudly says Amedeo, hinting at the good luck power of the piece he designed for the occasion.

"It's a story of love, business, and personal relationships that projected Roberto and me into the Olympus of the luxury industry."

The real breakthrough in their careers came after they moved to New York in the late '90s (Roberto to study, Amedeo to open the American branch of ho family business devoted to the craft of cameos since 1857). They received a late-night call from Sarah Jessica Parker, inviting them to join the set of "Sex and the City" on the Upper East Side. The film's costume designer, Patricia Field, requested the entire first collection of Faraone Mennella jewelry for the TV series, making the two "golden boys" from Torre del Greco (both born and raised there and met at a party, never to part ways again) the most beloved jewelry designers in America. However, the significance of this fortuitous event, which allowed them to embark on a spectacular journey - first by selling their pieces at top retailers in America such as Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus, then with a 5-year collaboration with Carolina Herrera a high jewelry tied to her couture line, not to mention their 2005 Rising Stars Award from the Fashion Group International and their inclusion in the 2007 Time 100 List - was to forever change the history of modern fashion: if jewelry was previously bought by the husband/man for the wife/woman, now it was also purchased by the woman herself, independent, free, and projecting her self-awareness of her role in society. Thanks to Roberto and Amedeo, the way we view jewelry has changed forever, now symbolizing a self-assertion of one's personhood: jewelry as self-awareness and independence.

Shortly after, they opened boutiques in New York, London, Porto Cervo and Capri, gradually attracting an increasingly international VIP clientele. Despite being advised against it by their friend Dawn Mello (former CEO of Bergdorf Goodman and Gucci), who suggested they ‘open the first boutique in their backyard first' to better understand the social and economic fabric of the location by living in the city, the London opening initially faced difficulties. Nevertheless, the desirability of the jewels from the two 'Capri boys' never waned; in fact, it increased! One thing is clear: their pairing of colorful gems is not only superb but also distinctive. In just over 20 years, both expressed and imprinted an indelible mark on the history of international fashion and jewelry with their creative vision. The secret to this success? “Authenticity”, answers Amedeo, citing the 2006 study by A. Schirmer and S.A. Kotz "Beyond the right hemisphere: Brain mechanisms mediating vocal emotional processing" published in Trends in Cognitive Science, stating how emotional frequency is what transmits the most electrical energy to the brain, effectively making authenticity the emotion that moves the world. As Amedeo explains, "especially in an era like ours, where we are inundated with commercial proposals, including in the world of jewelry, the authentic product made of personality and coherence between the creator and the product stands out from the others because it withstands the test of time due to the human and energetic-human element that distinguishes it. And so, just as 'lies have short legs,' so does the non-authentic product or the non-authentic CEO driven by business, emerging in the long term, decreeing the brand's death."

“Especially in an era like ours, where we are inundated with commercial proposals, including in the world of jewelry, the authentic product made of personality and coherence between the creator and the product stands out from the others because it withstands the test of time due to the human and energetic-human element that distinguishes it”

The passing of Roberto on June 4, 2020, from cancer left Amedeo deeply shaken. Motivated by love and a desire to honor his memory, Amedeo committed himself to revitalizing the two brands following the tragedy. First of all, after closing the London branch, Capri became the focus and the DNA of the brand, redesigned by their childhood friend and award winning architect Marialaura Irvine (www.studioirvine.com), who gave it the grace of a feather, almost symbolizing Roberto's eternal presence.

Then the “Love Lemons” collection was launched, a triumph of colors, a tribute to Capri and the Amalfi Coast, between the tsavorite that storms the lemon, the emeralds that adorn its leaves, and the yellow gold that encloses its playful essence. And, not to end there, the “Gelato” collection, an ode to Italianity that recalls the most beloved food (in addition to pasta and pizza) of all time: ice cream. And so, lively and precious necklaces, pendants, and earrings cheer the spirits of Amedeo's (and Roberto's) most devoted customers. However, the novelties did not end there, "on July 5, as usual, we celebrated our 'Viva Capri' in Capri, a party initially started with me and Roberto as a way to celebrate the essence of our brands but also our customers, our muses." Memorable at the time was the campaign dedicated to their muses shot in 2011 by Lorenzo Bringhelli, depicting the maison's muses!

“We did not bend to corporate rules to progress further”

The unveiling of the new high jewelry collection in Capri, which creatively revisits the "Thousand and One Nights" theme with colorful gems, signifies a move towards innovation. From a business standpoint, Amedeo has further expanded the two brands by establishing a branch in the Emirates and relocating to Dubai for several months each year. In this way, the Capri Boy has kicked off an expansion of Faraone Mennella and Amedeo into new markets "as vibrant as they are exciting, because Dubai is the new Miami," he emphasizes. But the surprises don't end there. In September, the recipient of the FARAONE MENNELLA by RFMAS DESIGN Scholarship will be announced. This scholarship promotes artistic excellence among the next generation of jewelry designers at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, USA. The winner will also receive an internship at their workshops in Torre del Greco. Then, in October 2024, the brand will will launch online on Ounass -and with a physical shop in shop at the Mall of Emirates, both the Amedeo and Faraone Mennella boutiques, thus offering Middle Eastern customers the opportunity to have a point of reference close to home. However, if you ask him what he learned from Roberto, Amedeo, moved, replies, "With Roberto, I learned that to realize a dream together, the creative part is essential. Our passion exceeded the financial one, and we acted according to our vision, without considering merchandising rules or market analysis. After his death, I understood his anticipated sadness, feeling as if his life’s work had passed unnoticed and our innovative approach not appreciated enough.”