US PROTAGONISTS

Mindful luxury: a state of being, a lifestyle inclu- sive of the planet, a mindset focused on sustaina- bility and respect for nature. It is a philosophy shared by an increasing number of jewelers and designers, committed to creating pieces of fine jewelry using alternative materials that do not contribute to the deterioration of our environment or the extinction of animals, such as the elephant (96 elephants are killed each day, a very alarming statistic). One such material is the tagua nut, the seed of a palm tree which grows in tropical climates and rainforests of northwestern South America. Used in a very inventive and sophisticated way, it can substitute ivory. Many designers – including Alexandra Mor, who developed the concept for this edition of the US Protagonists – have been inspired by the texture and look of the tagua, creating several pieces that prove that social change does not need to come at a cost to quality or exquisite design. US Protagonist jewels will be unveiled at an ex- clusive, experiential event on September 6 at Spring Place in New York, a unique membership club known for shaping contemporary culture. In addition to press, stylists, buyers, and industry luminaries, the Salon Art + Design – New York’s premiere fine arts fair and an esteemed partner for this project – will invite top fine art and jewel- ry collectors to attend. The pieces in these pages and others will be avail- able for sale beginning September 6 on luxury e-commerce site 1stdibs.com. 20% of the proceeds will go to support elephant habitat conservation efforts. You can view the jewels at 1stdibs.com/Tagua starting September 6.