Showing a jewellery collection really isn’t as simple as showing a clothing line. Most designers opt to just stay at the exhibition, where press and buyers can take a look at the pieces at any time during the week, at their own pace – it just works. One of the things I’ve come to love about Maria Francesca Pepe – other than her jewellery – is her ability to stage these amazing productions which really help you capture the spirit of her label even more.

This time was no different. This season, the Italian designer chose to hold a presentation for her new AW11 collection Fortuna in some of the rooms upstairs at Vauxhall Fashion Scout. Upon entering the first room, you were immediately swept away in a dark world: there was a black-clad model under a red light, head covered with a scary looking black hat with a studded horn on the top of her head. Only after a short while did I realise this wasn’t a live model, but a mannequin.

In the next room there was a mixture of mannequins and live models lying down on benches (it often took a while to realise which was which) and old curiosity cabinets filled with jewellery. Everywhere you looked, there was something new to take in – like a jewellery wonderland. The harsh, almost gothic vibe was softened by a few angelic looking models wearing pale gowns and covered in pearls.

I wouldn’t have needed a big production to fall in love with Maria Francesca Pepe’s new collection – in fact it made looking at all the pieces almost impossible – but what it did is give the jewellery the same dimension a catwalk show can do for clothes: it creates an extra atmosphere, a vibe, a way to see the pieces worn the way they should be.