In Luca Guadagnino’s gripping psychological thriller, “After the Hunt,” Julia Roberts portrays a Yale professor whose wardrobe speaks volumes about her character. Dressed in effortlessly chic cream suits, wide-leg jeans, blazers, and crisp button-up shirts, her attire exudes practicality and impeccable taste. Yet, it’s the bold, chunky gold jewelry she wears that hints at a deeper, more intriguing facet of her personality, a subtle rebellion beneath the surface.
This is where the artistry of Italian designer Ilaria Icardi shines. As the creative force behind the exquisite, pseudonymous jewelry line featured in the film, Icardi’s pieces adorn Roberts’s character with undeniable style. Among them are an elegant 18-karat gold ribbed bracelet (price available upon request), a distinctive gold magnifying glass pendant on a lengthy chain (valued at $10,630), and a substantial enamel and diamond ring ($15,041).
Guadagnino, renowned for his cinematic visual flair, consistently weaves fashion into the fabric of his storytelling. His previous film, “Challengers,” showcased costumes by Jonathan Anderson, the acclaimed Dior designer. Such collaborations underscore the director’s unique ability to catapult designers into the spotlight.
“Luca is a wonderful friend,” Icardi shared via Zoom from her vacation on Pantelleria, a picturesque volcanic Italian island favored by the European fashion elite, and also the filming location for Guadagnino’s 2015 movie, “A Bigger Splash.” She recounted, “They told me, ‘Your pieces will truly enhance the character.’ I sent them about seven or eight designs, and they used almost every single one.”
The film’s premiere at the New York Film Festival coincides with Milan Fashion Week, a busy time for Icardi, who concurrently serves as the design director for women’s wear at Prada.
Hailing from Valenza, a northern Italian town celebrated for its fine jewelry production, 53-year-old Icardi grew up surrounded by the craft. Her father, Umberto Icardi, established his own jewelry line there in the late 1960s. Ilaria’s journey led her to Milan to study fashion, followed by decades spent immersed in the vibrant fashion scenes of Paris and London.
Her impressive career includes developing Etro’s inaugural women’s ready-to-wear line for Hugo Boss in the 1990s. By 2001, she was collaborating with industry titans Tom Ford and Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent, where she honed her skills for ten years.
In 2009, Icardi embraced a new challenge as design director under Phoebe Philo at Celine, navigating between London and Paris. With a casual shrug, she recalled, “I wanted to escape and have an adventure.”
Reflecting on her time with Philo until 2013, Icardi stated, “We shared a very close bond. She was incredibly demanding, and the early days felt very much like a start-up. It was an intense but rewarding experience.”
“When you work for a major company, your personal connection to the designs isn’t always a given,” she continued. “But for the first time, I truly adored what we were creating — it was minimalist, yet not truly so; it was about the women we designed for, and the entire vision we were building.”
After the birth of her daughter, now 12, in London, Icardi remained in the city, taking on the role of design director for Victoria Beckham. She described Beckham as “a lovely person who granted me immense freedom and trust.” Her journey then led her to Bottega Veneta.
Icardi sees London’s style as a symbol of freedom. In contrast, she explains, “In Italy, we dress specifically for every occasion. We truly *dress up*! And in Paris, while impeccably cultured and chic, there’s a greater sense of restraint.”
Having built a career primarily behind the scenes, Icardi’s distinct design philosophy subtly influences the brands she works for. “I’m always drawn to a touch of classicism,” she remarked. “A well-tailored double-breasted jacket, a simple T-shirt, a great pair of jeans. I appreciate pieces you can just throw on.”
“I brought that same philosophy to my jewelry line,” she elaborated, “pairing impeccable taste with perhaps a hint of something unconventional. I enjoy that juxtaposition.”
Her personal jewelry line began just before the pandemic in 2020. “It was truly a passion project, created at home,” she shared. “I simply wanted to embark on a small adventure.” Working alongside her brother, gemologist Lorenzo Icardi, she crafted a collection inspired by her global travels and treasured pieces from her father’s archives.
Her friends, including Giulia Piersanti, the costume designer for “After the Hunt,” quickly became admirers.
“Julia Roberts’s character, Alma, embodies an effortless, almost uniform-like style,” Piersanti explained in an email. “Her wardrobe choices possess a subtle masculine allure – a select few pieces, chosen with meticulous care. I found that Ilaria’s jewelry perfectly complemented this vision while simultaneously elevating her overall look.”
Icardi herself wore a handmade gold chain during our conversation. “From my papa,” she said, gently touching it. She also showcased a tiny gold spaceman pendant and a functional gold whistle pendant.
“I use it to call my daughter when she’s being a little too adventurous,” she joked. “But seriously, I love it as an object, and it’s a nod to the things I cherished playing with as a child.”
Currently, Icardi takes pride in the intimate scale of her brand. “I have, perhaps, a hundred clients globally,” she shared. “They purchase a piece, then return to me, sometimes even asking to rework something personal. It’s about building genuine connections and relationships, and I truly value that.”