SJO Inspo: The Neapolitan Novels

It doesn’t get much better than spending a lazy Sunday lounging around with a great book. My summer reading obsession has been Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels. And when I say obsession, I mean OBSESSION! I found myself unable to put them down.

The four-book series is an incredibly honest and raw (and sometimes brutal) depiction of female identity and friendship set amidst the backdrop of a tumultuous, post-war Italy. It tells the story of two gifted women, Elena and Lila, who connect deeply as children and develop an intense and complicated relationship that spans their lives. Needless to say, the drama that unfolds is addictive!

Adding to the thrill of reading the books, was being able to watch the HBO series that is based on them (My Brilliant Friend) simultaneously. The show is breathtakingly beautiful and acted to perfection, with fantastic costume design and dreamy settings, including the picturesque island of Ischia. To say that the aesthetic of Ferrante’s world seeped into my designs for the new collection would be an understatement! I imagined what sort of jewels I would want Lila & Elena to wear while vacationing in Capri in 2022.

Buy the books here.

Watch Season 1 here.