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Subversive photo

A Subversive pin incorporates hematite, a vintage brooch, glass beads and faux pearls

Subversive Jewelry

More is more for award-winning designer

Some of Justin Giunta’s necklaces look like the tangled mess that many of us have in a deep, dark corner of our jewelry box.

A design on his website called Sunken Treasure combines fat copper links winding in and out of antique gold strands, with glimpses of beads, pearls, charms and “additional schnick-schnack.”

The mayhem reflects Giunta’s idiosyncratic vision, with jewelry being just one of the artistic media he explores.

The 30-year-old Pittsburgh native also paints, creates lighting fixtures, and has made T-shirts worn by celebrities such as Sting and Usher.

But it is with his jewelry line, Subversive, that Giunta is getting the greatest recognition.

His designs have appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle and Oprah. He has created a line for Target. And Giunta collaborated on designs for the Trovata, J. Mendel and Rachel Roy runways for Fall 2009.

On June 15th Giunta got his biggest boost yet. He won the Swarovski Award for budding accessories talent at the 2009 Council of Fashion Designers of America. Giunta accepted the prize sporting a typically schizoid pin on his lapel that incorporates hematite beads, a vintage brooch, glass beads, and faux pearls.

His date, model Hannelore Knuts, wore two necklaces - a Smoke Floral Wreath made with vintage chains and brooches, faux pearls, and Swarovski beads and chain layered over a Gold Coil Rhinestone Bib made with brass box chain and Swarovski crystal.

It all fits with Giunta’s “more is more” sensibility.

Giunta studied at Pratt Institute and the Gerrit Reitveld Academie in Amsterdam before getting a bachelor's degree from Carnegie Mellon University and then a fellowship from Yale. A career as a sculptor was one goal he had in mind.

Instead, he “paints” with found materials, creating unique compositions that sit somewhere on the continuum of art and design.

And, intentionally or not, Giunta has given many of us a whole new perspective on the mess of chains in our jewelry box.