In the lexicon of adornment, few objects carry the intimacy of the necklace—that encircling gesture that frames the face, rests against the collarbone, and, in the case of lingerie, traces the décolletage. It is fitting, then, that Italian label Collanine Colorate—whose name translates to “Colorful Little Necklaces”—is making its American debut not in a department store, but within the intimate retail spaces of Gigi Hadid’s Guest in Residence. The pop-ups, opening in Los Angeles on May 21 and New York on May 27, mark a transatlantic journey that began, as so many great stories do, with a stylist’s instinct.
The brand’s cofounders, Lorenzo Franchini and Giacomo Giovagnoli, launched Collanine Colorate during the pandemic, a moment when tactile pleasure felt revolutionary. Their signature stacked beaded necklaces, reminiscent of childhood craft projects but elevated with pearls, shells, and polished hard stones, tapped into a nostalgia that resonated far beyond Milan. The brand’s first flagship opened in the elegant Via Mameli district in 2024, followed by traveling pop-ups in Madrid, Lisbon, and Paris. The Parisian iteration, installed in December, proved pivotal: American tourists discovered the brand, and U.S. online sales soon rivaled those from France.
For those who study the history of lingerie and personal ornament, the necklace has always been a bridge between the private and the public. In the 18th century, sapphire chokers were worn to conceal neck scars; in the 1920s, long pearl strands draped over bias-cut slips. Collanine Colorate’s pieces, particularly the sun-shaped gold-plated pendant engraved with “Il Sole Dentro,” evoke a similar duality—they are both playful and talismanic, meant to be worn against the skin or layered over a camisole. The brand’s seashell-centric designs, which have become a favorite of Hadid and her models, recall the mermaid aesthetic that periodically resurfaces in lingerie, from La Perla’s sea-silk chemises to Eres’s shell-embroidered bikinis.
Franchini believes American consumers will gravitate toward the boldest styles—the oversize seashell necklaces retailing between €100 and €150—while Italians, he notes, are more restrained. “In Los Angeles especially, they are accustomed to this type of aesthetic, product, and the stacking philosophy,” he explains. “But what we’re bringing to the table is a Made-in-Italy product intended to last more than a season and a different storytelling.” That storytelling includes the brand’s Origins capsule, crafted in wood and leather, and a forthcoming collaboration with Tuscan footwear label Flòwze: sandals embellished with beads and shells, paired with matching necklaces.
Back in Italy, the brand continues its expansion. This month, it opened a second store in Cervia, a seaside town in Emilia-Romagna where the cofounders grew up. A temporary boutique will launch in Cinque Terre for the summer, and the Milan flagship is doubling in size to include a customization atelier, a café, and event space. It is a reminder that in an age of digital saturation, the desire for something handmade, personal, and worn close to the body remains as compelling as ever.
Originally reported by WWD