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Jennifer Paccione Angulo has a good luck charm that she almost never goes without. Growing up in New York as part of an Italian-American family, and later moving to Venice and Milan with her husband, whom she met in Italy, cultural roots and traditions are hugely important to her. One of the most significant symbols of her heritage comes in the form of a small hot chili pepper. “The peperoncino is a popular ingredient in Napoli, Bari, Calabria, and Sicily, but it’s also regarded as something that is believed to bring good fortune and protect against negativity,” Paccione Angulo explains. “While I was living in Milan, I had the idea of creating a collection of jewelry called Mediterraneo, and I wanted the designs to reflect the meaning of the peperoncino in Italian culture.” She launched her label one year ago with the glass peperoncino earring, later expanding it to a full range of handmade glass earrings, barrettes, and bracelets, while also balancing work as the head of creative for brand marketing agency ByBabba.
Currently, Paccione Angulo lives in Greenwich Village and works between Spring Place in Tribeca and Ludlow House on the Lower East Side. “This area is where I go for a creativity boost,” the designer notes. “Generally speaking, I’m very inspired by active settings and people in general, so I try to always put myself in environments that provide this inspiration source and stimulation.” Paccione Angulo is quite active herself, given that she is constantly running around while juggling three different jobs. She favors flat shoes for long days spent on her feet and is never without an extra piece of jewelry from her southern Italy–inspired line, especially her beloved chili totem. Paccione Angulo successfully balances work and play, family life and creative pursuits. From New York to Napoli, for her, it’s la dolce vita indeed.
“My work days are rarely the same. Some days I have a lot of desk time and others, I’m in lunch meetings or on set shooting all day. Because of this, I definitely dress each morning based on my day. I look at my calendar, I look at the weather, then I decide what to wear.”
“My everyday outfits are rarely consistent as I continually re-work and re-style pieces in my wardrobe. I do routinely carry my vintage Fendi baguette bag and I always wear Mediterraneo earrings—I’m never without a peperoncino for good luck!”
“As a New Yorker, I walk everywhere and almost never take transportation, unless I have to. With that being said, I definitely dress for comfort and with the expectation of walking the city in the shoes I choose each morning. I’m usually wearing a flat shoe, be it sneakers or oxfords or a sandal with a kitten heel. I’m rarely in heels.”
“In my work bag you will always find a lipstick of some sort (I prefer Chanel, as it’s super-hydrating, even as it’s wearing off), Nuxe Rêve de Miel Honey lip balm, my wallet, keys, headphones, a mini notebook from Goods for the Study, and my Olympus Mju-II point-and-shoot film camera for spontaneous moments.”
“I would say my style is a play on duality. I’m always balancing and neutralizing elements in my look: masculine and feminine, fitted and oversize, maximalism and minimalism, elegant and sporty.”