During the Salone del Mobile in Milan, April 13-17, 2005, the new Chi ha paura…? project ‘What’s Luxury’ will be shown in the Via Giannone 4, Milan, daily from 11 am – 9 pm.

In a spectacular setting, referring to historical luxuries, contemporary interpretations of luxury by international designers will be shown as samples of topical jewellery.
The theme ‘what is luxury?’ inspired 17 international designers to design reproducible jewellery of an outspoken character, offering fresh and humanistic views on modern wo/man’s desire for luxuries. The jewellery doesn’t necessarily refer to costly, expensive, extraordinary and rare commodities, in stead they can have a temporary character that just pleases the senses or mind for a moment.

The layer brooch Bloom Bloom  by Frank Tjepkema (NL) shows the ephemeral character of luxury, transient like a beautiful  flower.
Black Widow: Studio Job (NL) transformed a common symbol, the black spider, into a lush 100% contemporary jewel.
Forever yours: For Ineke Hans (NL) luxury may be confined to the temporary imprint that a golden ring with a hidden message leaves on your finger.
A dragon surrounded by a rose design is the format for Cut Here, a pink coloured temporary tattoo by Tord Boontje (NL), which leaves the user to decide which part to cut and wear.
With the Infinite Border by Matali Crasset (F) any shirt can be transformed into something special, by attaching a line of pure 24-carat gold around a collar or band.
Manga: Fashion designer Connie Groenewegen (NL) designed a clip as a open mouth with a golden teeth, which can be used to drape a beautiful fabric.
The classical looking Memory ring, by Wieki Somers (NL) holds a concealed image which will reveal itself when rubbed.
In his ring Real  Gijs Bakker (NL) plays with the concept of real and fake gems.
The Data Jewel of Swiss Christoph Zellweger is a refined ornament of the digital age, constructed with the aid of new technology.
The ornamental Credit brooch by Joris Laarman (NL) could indeed be used as a credit card.
The Big Pearl Ring, Mina Wu (Taiwan), bears a lens in order to magnify a small pearl on the ring – as may happen in our imagination when something important becomes bigger than real.
The wooden bracelet of the Paris/Berlin fashion duo BLESS (Desiree Heiss, Ines Kaag) creates high fashion on the basis of poor material, by precisely hand copying a cheap wristwatch in carved wood through craftspeople in Asia.
The Foamed Gold Nuggets by Chris Kabel (NL) presents a super light necklace composed of large 24-carat gold nuggets.
The gilded chips fork by Ramon Middelkoop (NL) may be worn as a tie-pin  - always ready to upgrade your fast food.
Precious Stones by Manon van Kouswijk (NL) presents a pebble stone pendant of acrylic with a hidden fossil inside.
For the Diamond Brooch  by Marc Monzo (Spain) a traditional ring with diamond has been ‘blown up’ to the size of a brooch.
The Echo, a necklace composed of semi soft silicon earplugs, by Marko Macura (NL) provides the wearer the non materialistic luxury of a break or a pause from all noise surrounding him.

The collection “What’s Luxury” is developed in cooperation with SM’s  (Stedelijk Museum ‘s Hertogenbosch, NL)

The installation is designed by Chi ha paura…? in cooperation with SM’s

The photography is by Rien Bazen NL.

The foundation ‘Chi ha paura…del gioiello contemporaneo?’ (‘Who is afraid…of contemporary jewelry?’) is established in 1996 by Marijke Vallanzasca, Padova and Gijs Bakker, Amsterdam. The foundation has its seat in Amsterdam. During the years ‘Chi ha paura…?’  has created a collection of  conceptual reproducible jewellery by international renowned designers and young unknown talent. ‘Chi ha paura…?’ is represented for the sixth time in Milan, during the Salone del Mobile.
Most of the jewellery is produced by Jan Matthesius.

Website:
http://www.chihapaura.com/whatsluxury/

Sales:
Sales manager: Pauline Barendse, info@chihapaura.com
The permanent collection is online available through: www.chihapaura.com
The collection is sold through more than 50 shops and galleries worldwide.

Press:
From the first day of the Salone del Mobile Milano 2005, press representatives can download images directly through the website www.chihapaura.com, using a special password.
Press manager: Mieke Barendse, press@chihapaura.com

The Chi ha paura…? Foundation would like to thank the sponsors for their generous support: the Stedelijk Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch and the Mondriaan Foundation