1980s Emanuel Ungaro Hand-Painted Red Bead & Gold Filigree Jewellery Belt

This belt was made for Emanuel Ungaro Paris in the 1980s. It is formed of a double strand of hand-painted floral glass beads with frosted gold-tone accents, and fastens at the front with a red and gold enamel buckle decorated with gold filigree. It measures 85 cm long and 2.5 cm wide, with a 6 by 4 cm buckle.

Emanuel Ungaro opened his house in Paris in 1965, after six years with Cristóbal Balenciaga and a period with André Courrèges. He became known for bold colour, mixed prints and draped, feminine silhouettes, and in the 1980s his style was at its most recognisable.

The 1980s favoured a defined waist and generous ornament. Belts became statement accessories, often treated as jewellery, worn over dresses, knits and jackets to bring colour and focus to the silhouette.

The hand-painted beads carry small floral motifs, and the double strand gives the belt depth and movement. The red and gold enamel buckle with gold filigree provides the focal point, and the dual hook keeps it secure. Light wear on the reverse of the buckle is not visible when the belt is worn.

Emanuel Ungaro died in 2019, and his 1980s work remains a reference for colourful, ornamented dressing. This belt can be worn as jewellery at the waist over a plain dress or knit, as it was intended.