The connections have made the intimate and profound history of Atelier VM… a connection between two creators, a connection between the living and nature, and a connection between dreams and reality. Founded in 1998, Atelier VM gradually grew to launch the Essenziale collection in 2014, where the jewelry is no longer closed but welded.
But let's go back to the origins, 1998 with the creation of Atelier VM by Marta Caffarelli and Viola Naj Oleari. A special bond unites the two co-founders, a bond that was formed in the tender hours of their childhood in Milan. It is powerful and universal, connecting the living to the elements, and sometimes tenuous, connecting dreams to reality... a bond that we wear on our wrists to recall a memory, an emotion, or a loved one.
So, in 1998, Atelier VM made only one promise... the rejection of the superfluous. The creators were around 20 years old, an age when we begin a quest for meaning and authenticity. Their bond is unwavering, with a shared vision and an immeasurable love of nature. They immediately imagined a label that reflected them, in which we could find the wonders and amazements of the world.
Atelier VM allows them to create a focal point between poetry and creative necessity. It's the place where alchemy takes place between delicate stones and precious metals.
From their first rather experimental creations, made of paper and glass, sold in the markets of Milan, to the first orders placed by the Barneys store in New York, only three years passed. Three years used by Marta and Viola to improve their craftsmanship and know-how, three years to strengthen their universe, three years to refine the delicate and subtle style that would soon make them famous.
In 2002, the milestone was the opening of the first Atelier VM boutique. It was located not far from Piazza Sant'Eustorgio, a charming square in Milan. It was in this first setting, both a sales location and a laboratory, that the two designers would definitively establish the brand's signature… frank and understated designs that contrast sharply with the usual eccentricity of Italian jewelry.
Then, in 2007, Atelier VM opened its new premises in the historic center of Milan, on Via Cesare Correnti. The team expanded with employees sharing the same values.
Spring 2014, the two designers launch the collection Essenziale. This is the first time in the history of jewelry that jewelry is soldered instead of being closed. Thus, the now iconic gold wire bracelet is shaped directly onto the body, marking Atelier VM's long-lasting legacy. Essenziale was an immediate success that propelled the brand internationally. In 2015, Le Bon Marché was completely won over by this avant-garde concept.
In 2018, the brand took a new step with the opening of a second boutique in the Brera district, one of Milan's design hotspots. The brand also established itself in London in the heart of the historic Liberty's. 2019 saw the opening of three new corners: two at Rinascente in Rome and Turin, and one at Nordstrom in New York. In 2020, Atelier VM went digital and launched its e-shop to continue its expansion.
Philosophy of Atelier VM
The jewelry created by Atelier VM physically tells significant moments of life, stories inspired by life, nature, secrets, or memories. At Atelier VM, there are no seasonal collections, but rather timeless jewelry imbued with history. They are meant to evolve by following the lines of the body and life of each person wearing them… a poetic romanticism makes each piece of jewelry, with its reassuring golden glow, a talisman for everyday life.
Atelier VM's jewelry is all handmade, bearing the distinctive hallmarks of its makers and the timeless beauty of artisanal craftsmanship.
Marta and Viola are eco-responsible, concerned with preserving the planet and the well-being of its inhabitants, they pay particular attention to the origin of raw materials... 9 carat and 18 carat gold is certified " Responsible Jewelery Council » and the precious and fine stones come from recognized and specialized suppliers.
Collections
Atelier VM operates like an alchemy laboratory where a memory becomes a ring, a season becomes a bracelet, and a sensation becomes a necklace. The jewelry thus created awakens life's intangible gifts. Here, there's no rush to fashion, but the fulfillment of desires... jewelry must be durable, elegant, refined, and discreet.
Poetry has been in the genes of Atelier VM since its creation... rings adorned with soft foliage or lips shaped like a tender kiss, earrings idealizing the lunar cycle, necklaces like the return of spring.
The essential
The launch of The essential was a small revolution in the world of jewelry in 2014… a bracelet without a clasp welded directly around the wrist. The concept, unique in its kind, was an immediate huge success.
The essential is more than a jewel, it is an experience, a delicate symbol of communion. It captures love in all its forms with a few grams of gold. The jewel is transcended and becomes an object of ornament… a souvenir jewel or a sentiment jewel that becomes permanent. The emotion removed from the jewel The essential celebrate forever a loved one or a special moment.
18 carat gold wire is available in 3 golds, in 3 chain widths Venice, in version Wow with a thicker mesh, in a rigid version to fit as closely as possible to its wearer. A laser process makes the welding invisible, painless and fast… the jewel automatically adapts to the lines of the wrist and never hinders movement.
Love without limits, Atelier VM will soon offer new variations of The essential.
André Tirlet
