Read the Interview on Nouvelle Factory
From Brazil to Italy to study and give life to his dream, doing the classic gavetta. This is the story of Thais Bernardes who, as soon as she arrived in Milan, found work as a model. A profession that she enjoys and helps her gather the necessary tools to do the job she was born to do: the jewellery designer. And so he opens his studio, full of Brazilian colours and good vibes skilfully mixed with the elegance that he says is 'proper to the Italians' that he knows from his stay here in the Bel Paese. During our meeting, he told us about his past, present and fantastic dream stories.
From Brazil to Italy to study and give life to her dreams, doing the classic apprenticeship. It is the story of Thais Bernardes who, as soon as she arrived in Milan, found a job as a model. A profession that she likes and helps her to gather the tools necessary to do the job for which she was born: the jewelry designer. And so she opens her studio, full of brazilian colours and good vibes wisely mixed with the elegance that she says is 'typical of the Italians' that she knows in her living room here, in the Bel Paese. During our encounter she told us about her past, her present and fantastic dream stories.
Thais, you are Brazilian and you say that gems and their colours have always inspired your days, as well as your jewellery. What kind of child were you?
- I was a very thoughtful child and at the same time full of curiosity. I loved, for example, observing animals and colours, wondering why they had certain movements and shapes. I have wonderful memories of my childhood spent with my family during weekends at our country house in Brazil. We were always surrounded by colourful birds, small monkeys and all around us was unspoilt wilderness. -
Thais you are brazilian and you have always talked about gems and their colours inspire your days, as well as your jewellery. How were you as a child?
- I was a very thoughtful child and at the same time full of curiosity. For example, I loved observing animals and colours wondering why they had certain movements and shapes. I have wonderful childhood memories spent with my family over the weekends in our country house in Brazil. We were always surrounded by colourful birds, small monkeys and all around us a wild and uncontaminated nature. -
The first childhood memory linked to a precious?
- During these family weekends, one of my favourite pastimes was to go and collect the crystals and stones that could be found in abundance in the paths around our house. Thinking back, it was amazing how many beautiful stones one could find just by walking. But of all of them, the one that has a special place in my mind is one that seemed to have a mirror inside, and I was reflected in it, being enchanted by this magic. -
The first childhood memory linked to a jewel?
- Just during these weekends with the family, one of my favourite pastimes was to go and collect the crystals and stones that could be found in abundance in the paths around our house. Looking back, it was amazing how many beautiful stones could be found just by walking. But among all, the one that has a special place in my mind is one that seemed to have a mirror inside, and I thought about it, being enchanted by this magic. -
Then came Milan, how did it welcome you?
- Milan, for me, came like a dream. Ever since I was a teenager, I used to watch all the fashion programmes on TV, admiring the catwalks in Milan, stunned, dreaming of one day walking those catwalks myself. It all happened on a lucky day, when a modelling agency in Milan did a casting in Brazil and, out of so many girls, chose me, inviting me here to Milan and making me sign a work contract. I immediately fell in love with the city, perhaps because I saw extremely elegant people walking normally in the streets and looking at them I felt at ease. Fashion and good taste have always fascinated me. In Brazil, I felt judged. -
Then Milan arrives, how did it welcome you?
- Milan, for me, came as a dream. Since I was a teenager I used to watch all the fashion programmes on TV admiring the fashion shows in Milan, dazed, dreaming of one day coming to walk those catwalks. It all happened on a lucky day, when a modelling agency in Milan did a casting in Brazil and, among many girls, chose me by inviting me here in Milan and getting me to sign a work contract. I immediately fell in love with the city, perhaps because I saw extremely elegant people who normally walked the streets and I felt at ease looking at them. Fashion and good taste have always fascinated me. In Brazil I felt judged. -
Why?
- Because I used to dress differently. I often wore my mother's silk scarves like bandanas. I invented looks, used unconventional shoes. I loved mixing classic pieces with something colourful, something that could attract attention with beauty and elegance. Milan was the city that allowed me first to work as a model and then to invest to achieve my dream: to create something different, new and never seen in the world of jewellery. -
Why?
- Because I dressed differently. I often wore my mother's silk scarves as if they were bandanas. I invented my looks, I used unconventional shoes. I loved mixing classic pieces with something colourful, capable of attracting attention with beauty and elegance. Milan was the city that allowed me to work as a model first and to invest to achieve my dream later: to create something different, new and never seen in the world of jewellery. -
It was here in Milan that you opened your studio in 2015: what is your modus operandi?
As you may have guessed, nature and the colours of the stones of Brazil are a great source of inspiration for me and almost all my creations are filtered through these powerful images. It always starts with a message, a meaning that I want to convey, but to do this I use my jewellery, designing unique, elegant and feminine pieces. The next step, from realisation to development, I always do it with my trusted manufacturers, Italian craftsmen full of passion and experience. Without these elements it would be impossible to work together. -
In fact, it is here in Milan that you opened your studio in 2015: what is your modus operandi?
- As you will have understood, the nature and colours of the stones of Brazil are a great source of inspiration for me and almost all my creations are filtered by these powerful images. Everything always starts from a message, from a meaning that I want to externalise but to do so I use my jewels, designing unique, elegant and feminine pieces. The next step, from realisation to development, I always do with my trusted producers, that is Italian artisans full of passion and experience. Without these elements it would be impossible to work together. -
Why jewellery?
- Design has always fascinated me. I am convinced that beauty brings energy to people. I have worked with the greatest fashion designers, who for me are nothing more than creators of dreams and beauty. And this experience has influenced my choices so much, until I got to where I am today. But going back to jewellery, I can only add that it also encapsulates energy, also because it is an age-old object, which the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans and especially South American and African tribes already wore with pride and as a symbol of protection, beauty or social status. On top of that, I am in love with stones and their power. It was for these reasons that I created my jewellery brand: I wanted to tell stories of colour, elegance and uniqueness while maintaining strict quality thanks to the workmanship of Italian craftsmen who work with passion and professionalism. -
Why jewels?
- Design has always fascinated me. I am convinced that beauty brings energy to people. I have worked with the greatest fashion designers, who for me are nothing but creators of dreams and beauty. And this experience has greatly influenced my choices, up to where I am today. But returning to jewels, I can only add that they too contain energy, also because they are millenary objects, which the ancient egyptians, greeks, romans and above all the south american and african tribes have worn with pride and as a symbol of protection, of beauty or social status. And then, on top of that, I'm in love with stones and their power. For these reasons I created my own jewellery brand: I wanted to tell stories of colours, elegance and uniqueness while maintaining rigorous quality thanks to the labour of Italian artisans who work with passion and professionalism. -
You say that every collection you make carries a specific meaning: which one are you most attached to?
- I am very attached to the first object I created in 2015: the necklace Dreamcatcher. This symbol for the natives is a talisman, used to send away bad dreams and to protect against negative energies.
The story goes that it was created by an indigenous tribe in America, and that its members were convinced that one of life's main missions was to decipher dreams. They were convinced that these dream visions were unconscious carriers of fundamental messages about the workings of nature, of life. And that, therefore, the entire universe communicated with us through our dreams. -
You say that each collection created carries with it a precise meaning: which one are you most attached to?
- I am very attached to the first object I created in 2015: the Dreamcatcher (dreamcatcher, ed) necklace. This symbol for the natives is a talisman, used to send away bad dreams and to protect themselves from negative energies. It is said that it was created by an indigenous tribe in America, and that its members were sure that one of the main missions of life was to decipher dreams. They were convinced that these dream visions were unconscious carriers of fundamental messages on the functioning of nature, of life. And that, therefore, the whole universe communicated with us through our dreams. -
Are the indigenous peoples of the Amazon still marginalised?
- Unfortunately, yes. These peoples live every day in a constant struggle for survival and for the preservation of their human rights. There are still a few untouched tribes living in the middle of the forest without ever having had contact with other human beings. They are the example of how one can live in nature without needing anything else. Moreover, and this is no small thing, they are the greatest maintainers of biodiversity. It is a pity that tribes like these are becoming extinct and that over time the developed world is constantly trying to deviate from their original culture and offer them a different life. But they only need to be left in peace, in the midst of nature. -
Are the indigenous populations of the Amazon still marginalised?
- Unfortunately. These populations live every day in constant struggle for survival and for the maintenance of their human rights. There are still a few uncontaminated tribes, who live in the middle of the forest without ever having had contact with other human beings. They are an example of how you can live in nature without needing anything else. Furthermore, and this is no small matter, they are the greatest maintainers of biodiversity. It is a pity that tribes like these are dying out and that over time the developed world is constantly trying to divert their original culture, offering them a different life. But they just need to be left alone in the middle of nature. -
Do you still return to Brazil from time to time? What do you bring back from your home country to Italy?
- I go back to Brazil at least once a year and when I get there my thoughts return to my origins. Just like as a child, I observe nature and the naturalness of life. Unfortunately, Brazil remains a country full of problems, even though the people there always have smiles on their faces. Maybe it's the sun, or the knowledge that to be happy you need very little: human warmth, friends and family are already a good reason to feel good. When I return to Italy I try to remember this and take it with me, together with lightness, beauty and a smile. -
Do you still come back to Brazil from time to time? What do you bring back from your country of origin in Italy?
- I go back to Brazil at least once a year and when I get there my thoughts go back to their origins. Just like as a child, I observe nature and the naturalness of life. Unfortunately, Brazil remains a country full of problems, even if the people there always have a smile on their face. Maybe it will be the sun, or the awareness that it takes very little to be happy: human warmth, friends and family are already an excellent reason to feel good. When I return to Italy I try to remember it and take it with me, along with lightness, beauty and a smile. -
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