Fairmined and Fairtrade gold create an ethical statement piece.
Just when you thought that London-based fashion designer Ada Zanditon had done it all, the award-winning, ethical fashion pioneer just announced a recent collaboration with bespoke jeweler Ingle & Rhode to design the first ever necklace made entirely from Fairmined and Fairtrade 18 carat gold. We have been devoted followers of Ada’s avant-garde runway designs and the effort that she pours into each season’s collection in terms of environmental research topics and responsible materials. Ada has now taken on another challenge with this stunning design collaboration that redefines luxury and the possibilities for fairgold designs.
According to Fairgold.org‘s homepage, “Globally, over 100 million people depend on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) for survival. The 15 million ASM miners work in harsh and dangerous conditions to produce just 10 to 15 percent of global gold supplies, but they make up 90 percent of the global work force in gold extraction. These miners and their families are caught in a vicious circle of exploitation, illegality, and many lack the skills and resources to move forward.”
As Ada Zanditon told Vogue.com UK in a recent interview, “Fairtrade is an incredibly important issue to me as it is part of my brand philosophy and approach. I believe in creating beautiful, desirable pieces that respect the balance between people, planet and business. Fairtrade is a really key way of being able to know that producers are being paid fairly for their work.”
Ada Zanditon’s Cryoflux AW 2011 look book images
Like many of Ada Zanditon’s designs, her latest glistening gold creation is origami-like in form and thoughtfully distilled with artistic experimentation. It is not uncommon for the designer, who is also a talented illustrator, to experiment with form building in her London studio before launching into draping and pattern cutting. This computer-aided gold nugget design references shapes like icebergs, sci-fi adventure, and deep earth exploration of an otherworldly but responsible variety. “The boldness of its aesthetic represents a brighter future for Fairtrade producers,” says Ada.
It is true progress to see gold that is guilt-free but visually alluring in the same manner that other jewelry metals are. The even better news it that this one-off piece is currently available to win on VOGUE.com for a value worth over £3,000. You can enter the contest here by answering a posted ethical fashion question.
Pyramora SS11 necklace designed as a collaboration between Ada Zanditon and Luca Romanyi
Ada Zanditon has previously collaborated with jewelry designer and artist Luca Romanyi to create statement pieces that incorporate recycled plastic and printed porcelain tiles. This is the first time that the designer has ever worked with gold, and fairmined and fairtrade gold at that. Given Ada’s love for honey bees, icebergs, coral reefs, and all things complex and fragile, it only seems fitting that she may just put the golden touch on future bespoke designs of an organic and fairmade nature.
Images: Vogue.com UK, Amelia’s Magazine, Ada Zanditon