The Protagonist

Leading fine jewelry designers are redefining their creative processes by adopting alternative and naturally sourced materials. Their new beautiful work is a call for social and environmental awareness; jewelry collectors are listening. Three words: responsible mindful luxury; more than a philosophy, it is a call to action that some top jewelry designers are answering when creating their finest work. Their creativity unhindered, empowered even, by the knowledge of taking steps to protect the planet and its resources. This is the starting point of this year’s edition of The Protagonist, an exclusive annual event initiated by Vogue Italia, which showcases a curated selection of the finest jewelry designers. At the helm of the 2018 edition is Creative Director Alexandra Mor who, together with thirteen other international fine jewelry designers, will take last year’s theme – sustainability – one step further. In the 2017 edition, the designers were asked to create pieces using the tagua seed, the botanical alternative to elephant ivory. This year, the designers will tackle the wider issue of responsible sourcing, which entails using natural (non-synthetic) materials like sustainable wood, ethically mined gemstones, eco-farmed pearls, leather alternatives, and recycled precious metals. The Protagonist fine jewelry collections will be unveiled during an exclusive event hosted at Christie’s New York, Rockefeller Plaza on December 10, as part of the auction house’s new initiatives aimed at connecting art with relevant social issues. The exclusive event will also showcase highlights from exciting upcoming auctions. The guest list will include esteemed members of the press and the fashion world, as well as stylists, buyers, industry luminaries, and – needless to say – a great number of major fine art and jewelry collectors. In addition to the pieces featured in these pages, a wider selection of all the jewelry collections will be on display at Christie’s December 10 -13. The items can be purchased directly from the designers during the event or, alternatively, on sustainable luxury e-commerce site fashionkind.com beginning December 14. 10% of the sales proceeds will go to Space for Giants, an international conservation organization that protects the great landscapes that Africa’s wildlife – specifically elephants – need to thrive. Accountability for the environment, living species, and indigenous people, is the way forward to ensure the future of our planet and of generations to come. These jewelry pieces, beautiful both in appearance and in purpose, are a brilliant reminder of what we hold most precious.