It’s billions of years old and a by-product of cataclysmic events occurring in the far corners of the universe. In fact, it’s appearance on Earth can be linked to imploding or colliding stars that eventually formed our planet. If you’re not wearing it or investing in it, you likely have bits of this malleable substance hiding out in your car, computer, or smartphone for its electrical capabilities. If you haven’t guessed, this “it” is gold. And it’s not only a solid hedge against inflation and a superb conductor of heat but also an enduring agent for creative and artistic expression.
David Farrugia, who co-founded luxury jewelry brand Uniform Object, chooses to harness the powers of gold (and platinum and precious gemstones) to push jewelry design and creation to new frontiers. “We only use 18-karat gold and platinum because they are the finest yet still durable for jewelry making,” he says. “We use a special alloy of yellow gold unique to our brand; it’s a rich, worn-in, brown tone of gold.”
David grew up in Naples and co-founded Uniform Object with help from his fiancée, Katie Hansson, who also called Southwest Florida home before the pair eventually settled in SoHo (New York City). Katie, who holds a law degree from the University of Florida (UF), works full time for the company, leading its operations inclusive of any legal-related matters. David, also a graduate of UF, is responsible for the conceptualization and design of the jewelry, which includes luxury rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings ranging from $7,950 to $475,000. This well-complemented pair, who have dated since high school, plan to wed later this year.
David descends from a family of engineers, dentists, and artists and reveals he’s always had an affinity for art. He and Katie both graduated from Community School of Naples. Here, David says he took art classes but largely expressed himself through fashion. “I was always in tune with designer fashion and into artisanal Japanese brands,” he says. “It wasn’t until I moved to New York, though, that I felt completely comfortable wearing that kind of stuff. Even in college, I had to stifle some of this creativity.”
Molding Success
Uniform Object isn’t Farrugia’s first brand—not even close. Even before attending college, where he initially wanted to be a dentist (like his father), he was entrepreneurial, developing several online-based businesses. In 2014, one of his ideas exploded into MakeupDrop, a beauty brand that featured a makeup applicator composed of nontoxic, nonporous silicone that worked to eliminate product waste while deterring bacteria growth.
“MakeupDrop became an international beauty brand,” explains David, “but it was never really a passion of mine. I wasn’t trying to be a beauty mogul, and it was sometimes difficult for me to relate to my customers since I don’t wear makeup.”
He continued to develop MakeupDrop until COVID-19 hit. At this point, he resolved to, in his words, “take the winnings and cash out.” By this time, David was already living in New York (with Katie) amid pandemic shutdowns, a time he says provided copious hours to think and reflect. “One day I woke up and decided I was going to create very high-end products,” he says. “At first, I wanted to make super high-end water bottles, and then I thought I’d make the best kettlebells. I had all these different ideas—like an assortment of objects. Eventually, I thought jewelry could perhaps be the first outlet for this.”
This Promethean spirit is part of David’s nature. “This wasn’t a novel thing for him,” says Katie. “There have been several times when he just wakes up and says, ‘I’m going to do this.’ He excels in the big picture, from conceptualization to execution … in putting all the pieces together to get a final product.”
But why jewelry? In part, it simply made good business sense. The materials to make jewelry are inherently valuable, and if a particular design didn’t work, David could more easily recycle these. “This gave me the confidence to try something unique, whereas if I wanted to make a water bottle, I’d have to make several at once and I couldn’t reuse the materials as easily.”
David spent the majority of 2020 working on Uniform Object, and he and Katie launched the brand in 2021. “I knew many of the necessary business steps from my previous experiences, and I really designed an entire collection at once—it wasn’t just one piece,” he explains. “It turned out to be very successful from the beginning.”
Donned upon the hands of celebrities and other notable figures, Uniform Object has indeed risen through the jewelry ranks at an impressive rate. In fact, David considers this to be the brand’s largest success. “It’s not typical for a brand to be this young and one of the best-selling brands in Bergdorf Goodman; I think that’s a pretty incredible feat.”
Cut From Creativity
From the onset, David had no doubt he would enjoy the art of fine jewelry creation. “Jewelry gives me a lot of freedom to design,” says David, who explains it all starts with something that inspires him, perhaps a shape or other element from his environment that sparks a reaction or elicits an emotion. From here, the goal is to record this as soon as possible.
“I can sketch in detail, but it’s most important for me to get my ideas on paper—and as quickly as possible,” he notes. “Next, we send this to our CAD team. Together, we work to refine the design so a 3D plastic model can be generated to gauge weight and scale. Then, it goes to casting, which involves making a 3D print of the cast for the metal—in our case 18-karat gold. After, it goes to our atelier, where the piece is hand-finished and any stones are set.”
In addition to finding inspiration within his immediate surroundings, David cites the influence of two visionaries upon his work: fashion designer Rick Owens, whose sartorial aesthetic is dark, minimalistic, and industrial (yet luxury), and artist Kazimir Malevich. Malevich, an important figure of the Russian avant-garde movement, advanced a distinct style of geometric abstraction known as Suprematism. “His subjects are very apparent and stark,” explains David. “But it’s all about context and where he placed [his art] in the room; I appreciate that use of negative space.”
For David, at least part of the goal is to create something harsh and unexpected but still extremely elegant and timeless. “This is difficult,” he says. “Many jewelers are very direct with their references; they try to be punk or avant-garde, but they’re often too on the nose, and to me, that’s not very elegant. I try to be very cutting-edge and interesting but direct this through the lens of a fine heritage jewelry brand.”
David and Katie have prodigious plans in store. Besides their upcoming wedding in Naples that will take place alongside their family members—and the couple’s dog, Marni—they hope to open Uniform Object retail locations. “We’re really a brick-and-mortar type of business,” explains David. “Our plan is to open our first flagship store in Paris—hopefully, within the next one to two years.”
Notwithstanding the couple’s international business plans and their New York residence, they desire to maintain their Southwest Florida ties. David’s parents, Alan and Heidi Farrugia, are Neapolitans and plan to host David and Katie’s nuptials at their Pine Ridge residence. Katie’s stepfather and mother, David and Abby Dickson, live nearby in the North Naples community of Mediterra. With many links fastening them to our gilded coastal town, visits to Naples will indubitably be included in the pair’s forthcoming itineraries. In Katie’s words, “Naples will always be a part of our lives.”
Story Credits:
Shot on location at the residence of Alan and Heidi Farrugia, Naples
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