Simona Trombetta began devoting herself to the art of weaving at an early age, inspired by the creative flair of her mother, who passed on to her a love of manual work and attention to detail. Her first creations were crochet hats and costumes; with which she began making a name in the Como area. Swept on by her own enthusiasm, she decided to deepen and broaden her knowledge of yarns and colours, starting out on a long road of study and experimentation: "When you do creative work, you are naturally inclined to experiment and so I said to myself: why not try making a ring with this yarn? It was a winning idea that marked the beginning of a wonderful journey filled with successes and satisfaction.
Her “Made in Como” creations soon started to attract the interest of both local and international customers. Up to 2014, the year that Simona decided to dedicate herself full time to the Como shop and her online outlet, she exhibited her jewellery at trade fairs in Europe and Japan. At the same time, her Master's degree in Jewellery Design at the Milan Polytechnic provided an inroad to establishing business partnerships with Italian craftsmen, workshops and 3D designers, who now support her in the various stages of the production of her work.
Alongside the Crochet collection, where hand-woven threads meet the brilliance of customised stones and plates in silver, brass and bronze, Simona has developed other product lines ranging from earrings and rings embellished with pearls and aquamarines to necklaces and chain bracelets with a more assertive character, but perfect for any occasion. "The aspects of this job that fascinate me most are the precision and attention to detail it requires," explains Simona. “My approach is that of a designer, not that of an artist. I don't like the unique, extravagant and non-replicable piece, I prefer a more essential, clean, wearable design; jewellery that can be replicated on a small scale and used on a daily basis”. The necklaces, bracelets and earrings feature decorative elements with symbolic meanings inspired by esotericism and mythology. These include the circle and the spiral, emblems of continuity and circularity, but also lucky charm symbols such as the moon or the cowry shells, for which the Como designer has a particular fondness.
At the boutique and workshop in Via Adamo del Pero, in the historic centre of Como, Simona's passion and creativity combine with the work of small, mainly Italian brands. Carefully selected scarves, hats, shirts and handbags are displayed by colour range alongside her own sparkling creations. Today, 18 del Pero is the proud ambassador for sober, elegant and never predictable style that is able to meet the tastes of a loyal local clientele and international tourists in search of unique products that interpret the most authentic Italian craft tradition in modern key.