Issue #41b

Roberto Faraone Mennella

Il Filosofo Del Design

Roberto Faraone Mennella is the founder of Faraone Mennella by RFMAS, the fine jewelry house associated with luxury and Italian refinement. Roberto grew up surrounded by beauty and fine art. He has continued five generations of tradition, curating the Faraone Mennella Estate’s, Faraone Mennella Fiori. Roberto’s creative eye for detail has made Faraone Mennella the award-winning fine jewelry brand it is today.

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What do you do in your life (work and fun)?

Jewelry Designer (Interior design & architecture).

What made you leave Italy and chose NYC?

I was only 16 years old when I came to NY the first time on short trip and I immediately fall in love with it. It was the energy, the lights and the unexpected feeling of being “home”. When I came back in my early twenties to study in New York I knew I would never leave and here we are 22 years later talking about it.

Please share your best memory in the City.

The city has changed a lot over time but the energy is still the same. I remember walking from the Village all the way uptown at 4am with my best friend and now business partner Amedeo, eating marble cake and drinking milk and sharing dreams and future projects that ended up all coming true years later… Spending nights on the set of Sex in the City with the entire cast on locations when nobody knew what a cult and media storm that show would years later. Meeting people that today define a century with their discoveries, political choices and talents.

What made you choose this specific location and outfit?

Central Park was the beginning….aside from being only 3 blocks from my apartment, it was the place where I was relaxing and escaping the heat of the hot New York summers while planning what I would do next….staring at the skaters dancing on the bit of ‘Billy Jean’…

Your thought about this project, ITALIANY.US

It is very interesting and original to put together Italians who decided to move and I am also curious to find out how someone else made the same choice.

How would you describe being an ambassador of the italian style/culture abroad?

It is about teaching through our work and creations what is “MADE IN ITALY” all about, the heritage, the attention to details, the passion and ultimately the taste level which for fashion, food, art, product design and style has not comparison.

  • Shots

    158

  • Time

    240

  • City

    New York

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A visual celebration of Italians working, living and loving in NY and in the US