Paul Edmund Flato (1900 1999) was born in Texas to a prosperous German family.
After moving to New York, he opened his own jewelry store in Manhattan. Soon Paul Flato became one of the most famous jewelers in New York, the only one whose jewelery creativity was equal to that of European jewelers.
Paul worked with several designers, future luminaries of jewelry art: David Webb, George W. Hadley, Count Falco di Verdura.
Paul Flato did things that were original and bold. Once he created a bracelet in the form of a love letter: he engraved the text on a gold plate, then “teared” the plate into pieces and arbitrarily fastened them on a chain. Instead of the usual flat necklaces and brooches, he made sculptures in three dimensions, so that his diamond roses, orchids and lilies resembled real flowers. Inspired by the surrealists, he began to depict the figures of lobsters and elephants.
He started jewelry fashion with black enamel and gem-encrusted initials, and his gold screw-and-nut cufflinks were featured on the cover of Masterpieces of American Jewelry.
Flato’s personal life was full of ups and downs. Flato got into debt, began to use the money of clients. He was in prison twice, the second time in his seventies. Upon his release, Flato decided to permanently move to Mexico and again, for the third time, open his shop there.
Surprisingly, already at an advanced age, Flato began to create jewelry that absolutely coincided with the style of the era.
In the 1970s, with their passion for ethnicity, Flato did things inspired by the primitive art of the pre-Columbian Indians.
In the 1980s, he switched to bright, oversized jewelry that went so well with business suits for energetic business women. All this was very popular both among the residents of Mexico City and among numerous tourists: the Flato store became a landmark. Journalists of glossy publications interviewed the old man, and then they were surprised at his energy and enthusiasm.
His long list of clients includes movie stars Greta Garbo, Mae West, Rita Howford, Joan Crawford, Doris Duke, Ginger Rogers, Carmen Miranda, Marlene Dietrich, Harin Hepby.
In 1990, Paul left the business and returned to Texas, where he was born.
This man not only achieved success he had to achieve it several times. In his life, ups were followed by downs, successes followed by failures. But never, going about his business, he did not feel superfluous, unclaimed or unnecessary.