Prada has never done things by the book. The brand has been creating the world’s most desirable fashion pieces since their start over one hundred years ago, going from making humble leather goods to being one of the biggest privately owned brands in the world. Now, the brand is expanding on their aesthetic universe with a daring introduction into fine jewelry. The inaugural collection, titled ETERNAL GOLD, marks both a commitment to beauty and to sustainable, circular fashion.
Maya Hawke for ETERNAL GOLD
As Prada’s first-ever fine jewelry offering, ETERNAL GOLD is a first in many aspects. It’s also the world’s first fine jewelry collection made entirely with recycled gold, collected using the industry’s most rigorous standards set by the Responsible Jewelry Council. Prada is also the first company to expand on diamond traceability, making every single carat count traceable down to its origins. The complete transparency of every material used in their jewelry, from sourcing to cutting to setting, is a radical step in the direction of honest production of an otherwise murky process.
Somi Jeon for ETERNAL GOLD
The jewelry is a reflection of Prada’s impact on the industry and a continuation of their efforts to creating beautiful objects that stands the test of time, as all fine jewelry should. ETERNAL GOLD is rife with Pradaisms, with the instantly recognizable Prada triangle rendered as sleek earrings and pendants, but also imbued in clasp closures, and more subtly, in chain links and as the head and tail of the snake bracelet. The snake bracelet itself may at first recall other serpent bracelets, but finds its own voice with the sneaky Prada triangle and smooth, unvarnished gold. Heart pendants take on an edgy effect with the triangle chainlink it sits on.
Prada chose three voices of our time to don this foundational collection, representing where Prada is now and where it can go. Amanda Gorman, award-winning poet and activist, Maya Hawke, singer/songwriter, actress, and model, and Somi Jeon, musician, become one with the gold, immortalized in gold negative renderings by David Sims. The jewelry and its campaign represent the future of a wholly responsible planet that isn’t sacrificing purity and beauty at its demise. The act of both looking good and doing good is something all brands should aim towards.
Kevin LeBlanc is the Fashion Associate at ELLE Magazine. He covers fashion news, trends, and anything to do with Robyn Rihanna Fenty.