When Prada invited me to Milan to experience the launch of the first truly sustainable fine jewelry collection by a global luxury brand using 100% certified recycled gold, I was totally excited. Unfortunately, I had to be in London and couldn’t make it. However, I still have all the information to tell you about ETERNAL GOLD. In general, Prada fine jewelry is embedded in sustainable practice that informs twenty-first century luxury, alongside time-honored artisanal techniques and precious gems and metals. Inherent in the notion of fine jewelry – always – is the idea of unique pieces created with a future in mind, to pass between generations, to stand the test of time. The eternal.
A new interpretation of this concept, sustainability is built into the core of ETERNAL GOLD, reflecting Prada’s wide-ranging commitment to conscious and responsible practices across every facet of its business – including the shift of Prada’s total nylon production to its innovative sustainable recycled Re-Nylon. 100 percent of the gold used in Prada fine jewelry is Certified Recycled Gold, meeting ‘Chain of Custody’ standards set by the Responsible Jewelry Council. Every step and incarnation of Prada’s responsible gold and diamond production chain is verifiable and traceable – something offered by no other fine jewelry or luxury fashion house in the world.
Prada’s recycled gold is drawn only from eligible recycled material sources, in compliance with due diligence – including industrial gold, and post-consumer precious objects. Prada partners exclusively with those suppliers of precious metal and stones who meet the highest industry standards concerning human rights, labor safety, environmental impact, and business ethics. The reduction of mining of new gold benefits both environments and human rights, and while traceability of diamond origins is conventionally only possible with stones of 0.5 carat or larger, Prada expands the concept, for the first time, to stones of all sizes. It also extends through the entire value-chain, from mining to cutting, setting and polishing – every step of every diamond’s life can be traced.
In a ground-breaking new step for fine jewelry, records of this verification have been logged on the Aura Consortium Blockchain ́s platformand can be accessed by Prada fine jewelry customers who also will be able to verify the authenticity of their pieces.
The journey of individual pieces will be accessible by Prada’s clientele, allowing them to trace the provenance of every aspect. This radical transparency on origins, sourcing and production chains gives a modern consciousness to fine jewelry, shifting outdated industry standards to mirror societal change. From its birth in 1913, Prada has always created «objects of luxury» – inventing items that, through precious materials and the highest level of Italian craftsmanship, are unique proposals for their clientele. They reflect timeless traditions, and the values and concerns of the modern world – ETERNAL GOLD is a new facet of this ideology. The debut collection draws on Prada’s heritage of style, its timeless fashion lexicon, to create pieces that embody eternal characteristics of Prada, conversing for the first time with the sphere of fine jewelry.
At the core of the collection is the Prada triangle – a powerful silhouette and universal shape that has become synonymous with Prada. Originally used as a mark of luxury by Prada’s founder Mario Prada, here the triangle represents the brand – a conceptual, wordless logo, universal in its resonance.
This debut collection proposes a foundation of neo-classics, everlasting pieces. Archetypes are examined, delineated and reiterated, the collection comprised of eternal shapes with constant resonance. Snake bracelets, heart motifs, chain necklaces, ribbon chokers – defining shapes and forms of fine jewelry, they are also signs and signifiers of affection and love. Gold is the focus – truly eternal, an ancient material timeless and constantly cherished, it is used in its true form and color, an honesty of metal that reflects the transparency of Prada’s supply chains. Prada’s own archetype, the triangle, is traced in every piece – an affinity found between Prada’s triangle and diamonds’ facets. The triangle appears as a clasp closure, earrings and pendants, while its angles shape chain links and hearts, the head of a snaked bracelet. Proportions are reconsidered – pendants are blown up, chain-links exaggerated to create impact. These jewelry pieces express strength, presence, passion. As with all Prada creates, ETERNAL GOLD is a bold reconsideration of the very concept of fine jewelry, an expansion of what its universe can represent. Combining technology with a fundamental humanity, aligning the notion of eternal pieces with a core commitment to sustainable and responsible practice, ETERNAL GOLD is a challenge to traditions, a break with conventions.
As it lays in Prada’s DNA to create a full on concept, the campaign – shot by David Sims under the creative direction of Ferdinando Verduri – celebrates exceptional personalities, whose creativities truly stand outside time, and that are championed for their talent and achievements. They are unique, like each piece of fine jewelry – and their contribution to culture is lasting. They include the award-winning American poet and activist Amanda Gorman; the American actor, model, and singer-songwriter Maya Hawke; and Dutch-Korean-Canadian musician Somi Jeon.
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © Prada
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