Beads and floral compositions
- Melania creates bespoke beaded, lace and embroidery compositions, jewellery and accessories
- Her craft stems from a deep-rooted passion for Sicilian traditions
- She never stops studying and innovating with new techniques
Melania La Via was born in Catania, Sicily and still lives there. It is a land rich in traditions that she loves. Melania has a degree in music and teaches cello, but her passion has always been making objects with threads and beads just as her grandmothers and aunts used to. "They spent whole afternoons making lace and embroidering, and I watched them, always amazed at how simple threads could become tablecloths, skirts, corsets, lampshades,” she says. In order to acquire new skills in needlework, embroidery and lacework, Melania practised a lot and developed her knowledge through self-study. She branched out into making jewellery by attending a goldsmithing course in Milan. Her activity began as a hobby, but as more and more clients asked for her works, she decided to give her passion a more professional turn, and formally set-up her practice to promote and revitalise ancient local traditions.
INTERVIEW
It is a passion but it is also a great opportunity to express creativity, to work at the right pace and to have great satisfaction. I would recommend to young people to rediscover handicraft, as it is also a form of therapy. Work, passion and small steps always lead to results.
The quality of the threads and the beads is fundamental to make beautiful and long-lasting products. I have carefully selected my providers to be sure of always having a wide range of excellent materials available. With the pandemic, unfortunately, some of my providers closed their activities and I had to find new ones.
I have many, they are different from each other and they are based all over. My accessories are unique, never standardised, which makes a difference to my clients when they wear my pieces or set up a showcase.
It depends on the object, but it can vary from a few days to a few months. Time is also a variable when I am asked to restore lace or precious fabric. I love bringing clothes and accessories back to life.
