F/W 2022 | Kamon

The collection unfolds in 4 pairs of earrings made in two sizes, asymmetrical in the graphic structure but equal in subject and symbology.

Kamon, the name of the collection, means "house" and "emblem". Kamons are usually used to identify a family and are passed down through the generations. They indicate the wearer's lineage, kinship, and social standing. They are often compared to the coats of arms of the European cavalry but in reality they are very different because surnames did not exist in ancient Japan except in very rare exceptions. They are based on geometric or floral designs, however some may represent animals, natural phenomena or landscapes. It is believed that these motifs were originally used in fabrics, to indicate belonging to a samurai clan to distinguish themselves on the battlefield but then in the twelfth century they became mainly heraldic coats of arms. The society of the time was mainly illiterate and the Kamon also became a useful recognition tool for craft categories, for temples and shrines and for theater troupes.
The reasons that led to choosing a drawing as a coat of arms could be many; ancient legends connected to the family, symbols and special meanings of flowers or animals.
In the feudal period the coats of arms did not have the circle as a frame; only at the end of the Edo period (1603-1868) were the coats of arms inscribed in a circle. The circle had two functions; the first, to give more importance to the contained coat of arms, the second to distinguish the various lineages of the same family.

Fuji-mon
The wisteria symbol of friendship
In this pair the two kamon-earrings represent the wisteria symbol of friendship due to its cluster shape and the strong interweaving created by its branches. In Japan it is often given as a sign of the indissolubility of a relationship. In fact, it was with this symbol, the Fuji-mon, that the emperor rewarded the official Nakatomi for his services. The graphic structures are different: in one earring the intertwined clusters of wisteria are arranged in a continuous ring while in the other the two branches, placed with the heads and tails of one contiguous to those of the other, form a single element, like a hug. The crown is joined by a heart-shaped leaf and is ascending; this suggests an optimistic attitude.

Mokko-mon
The quince flower symbol of Loyalty
In this pair the two Kamon earrings take up the Japanese quince flower; considered a symbol of fidelity, in fact its fruit was given to young women when they were asked to marry. It is also a symbol of prosperity. In the graphic structures, the flowers are both inscribed in a decorative circle of different thickness and shape. The quince flower in one of the two drawings has a wari structure, divided into two specular parts, while in the other the five-petal flower is whole and surrounded by concentric stylizations of these five petals.

Tsuru-mon
Crane symbol of luck
In this pair the two earrings represent the crane, an animal associated with loyalty and love, as well as strength. In Japan it is also called the bird of peace, in fact, when someone sees a crane it is considered auspicious. One of the two has a mirror construction, where one element is repeated facing each other symmetrically while in the other the animal has a circle construction formed by the two open wings.

Ha-mon
Great wave symbol of strength
In this pair, Lebole Gioielli's fabric earrings convey a great wave with a symbolic and spiritual meaning. This natural element can be interpreted as a contrast between the force of nature that hangs over fragile humanity. The wave that represents eternal movement, transformation and dynamism in an earring is built in a spiral and is inscribed in a circle, a shape linked to the idea of perfection. In the other earring the two waves are instead constructed as an embrace. The two different kamon compose a real narrative scene with a landscape atmosphere.