A tiny bean, stolen human remains, a wearable vase, and silky mesh – the inspirations behind Elsa Peretti’s iconic jewellery designs were varied and disparate, but their appeal across the globe is uniform. Inarguably one of the most important jewellery designers of the modern era, Peretti, who died today aged 80, leaves behind a legacy of over 50 years of nailing exactly what modern women flock to wear.

A tiny bean, stolen human remains, a wearable vase, and silky mesh – the inspirations behind Elsa Peretti’s iconic jewellery designs were varied and disparate, but their appeal across the globe is uniform. Inarguably one of the most important jewellery designers of the modern era, Peretti, who died today aged 80, leaves behind a legacy of over 50 years of nailing exactly what modern women flock to wear.