Tex revealed he became interested in jewelry design because it was closely related to his regular thoroughfare of fashion and apparel design.

“Nearly all of my clients asked me what accessories go with my designs, so I have had that interest since the beginning. Then Miss Mondial came up with an offer to collaborate, and the rest is history,” he told journalists during the launch event of his latest jewelry pieces created in collaboration with the jeweler.

Launched to commemorate Miss Mondial’s sixth anniversary, the Elemental Collection comprises five separate lines of jewelry inspired by the natural elements -- earth, water, wind, fire and metal.

“The inspiration for the collection came from dealing with various clients of mine. I noticed that they have different characters and personality traits, so from there I got the idea to represent each personality through different elements from the natural world,” Tex says.

The collaboration started in 2017, with the two earlier lines -- Earth and Water, which were launched in March last year. This year, Miss Mondial launched the remaining three elements, comprising 18 designs that include pendants, earrings and rings.

The Fire Series -- symbolizing the warmth of a relationship -- utilize rose gold accents as a metaphor for the dynamism and exuberance of love.

The wedding rings in the line combine white gold and fire-inspired curves with 18-karat rose gold along with the jeweler’s signature diamonds.

For the Wind Series, the wedding rings incorporate wavy, curvy design elements along with winged shapes, finished in white gold and diamond.

The Metal Series is meant to represent faithfulness, strength and order. Dominated by white gold, the series feature rose gold accents as well as criss-crossing diagonal lines.

 Tex said he liked all of the series equally but his favorite was the Water Series, saying the element is the best representation of his personality.

“The challenge for this line is how to best translate the inspiration and level of detail so that people can immediately understand the jewelry represents water.”

Wedding ring collection (Courtesy of Central Mega Kencana/-)

He found that the designing process for jewelry is not much different from his usual design process, however, since the materials involved are radically different, he had to familiarize himself with them in advance.

“Basically, I had to relearn how to translate concepts and ideas into a finished product while keeping in mind the materials, like precious metals and precious stones. Each material has its own technique on how to work with them.”

One technique used in the process is 3D printing, which is used to create product mock-ups and prototypes.

For the collaboration with Miss Mondial, he said they come up with a wide range of designs that could be worn with various looks, from casual to couture.

On the other hand, his collaboration with Mondial, of which Miss Mondial is a sister brand, tends to have a more avant-garde, a more “one-of-a-kind” feel, to them.

“We’ve thought this out before designing the collection, how the jewelry can be used for all kinds of occasions,” Tex says.

As with his exquisite designs that are often brimming with elements of fantasy, Tex recalled many were confused when he pitched the idea of a collection inspired by natural elements, like wind.

“How would you translate wind into a finished product? But that’s the fantasy in creating something out of nothing, and that has influenced all of my work all these years.”

On fire: Designer Tex Saverio collaborated with jeweler Miss Mondial for the Elemental Collection. (Courtesy of Central Mega Kencana/-)

Tex readily admits he often gets stuck on an idea.

“If that ever happens, you just go with it. Ideas can come in the most unexpected of times, and those kinds of ideas are more natural. As a designer, I am of the belief that you can’t force an idea into existence, he says.

“Some designers have this schedule to put out a collection regularly. I’m not one of them. If I have an idea in mind, then there’s going to be a collection. If nothing comes up, then you can always wait until inspiration strikes you.”

With the Elemental Collection, Tex said he would love to work with A-list stars again. One particular figure that he has in mind is Angelina Jolie, who Tex finds “iconic” and would be suited to the Fire Series.

“From her personality, we know that she’s a tough, fiery woman who is independent and fearless. The element of fire represents her well, I think.” (ste)