HIGh JEWeLRY CAN bE CHARmING ANd ETHICaL TOO… GUCcI PROVeD THaT!
Text by: Annarosa Laureti
In a time when Fashion is increasingly ethical – in terms of sustainability, inclusiveness, gender rights’ equality and so on – it doesn’t surprise that also the super luxury field of high jewelry takes care about other important matters.
Diamonds, gold and gemstones, in fact, are as charming as harmful. In most cases their hypnotic sparkle hides an inconvenient truth that everyone pretend not to see. They call them “blood diamonds” or “conflict diamonds” because dirtied of war victims’ blood. Precious stones’ market are enriched with humans’ cruelty and contribute to finance the so-called “lords of war” of the black continent.
Several are those organizations that in recent years have made the traceability of precious metals and stones their own mantra, working side by side with High Jewelry maisons.
Announcing almost one year ago the launch of the brand new High Jewelry Collection – through the words of Francois-Henri Pinault, President of the brand’s owner Kering, in an interview published on “Le Figaro” – Gucci continued its own ethical approach to Fashion and Luxury World.
This first High Jewelry Collection in fact sees the collaboration with the “Responsible Jewelry Council” as well as the use of “Kimberly Process” certified sources and the gold purchase under the “Kering Responsible Gold Framework”.
Gucci High Jewelry Boutique must open nowhere but in the legendary Place Vendôme, the luxurious Parisian spot par excellence. Together with the Gold Jewelry Collection, it was shown “Hortus Deliciarum”, designed by the creative director Alessandro Michele.
Over 200 pieces – most of them unique – reinterpret in Gucci language ancient myths of eternal love and imaginary animals. Bees, lions, fishes, snakes, creatures with wild beasts’ heads turn into diamonds set drop earrings, rings and pendants. Like bright colorful flowers, topazes, sapphires, opals, beryls dye lawns and bushes of diamonds giving live to bracelets and colliers.
If at first the Boutique’s sobriety seems to clash with the jewelry’s opulence, the outcome is dreamy and typically Gucci. A place where dreams come true unfortunately for few people but that could represent, in terms of political consciousness, also an important step forward.
