17 minute read
Objects make a room Decorating your home
Objects Can Make a Room Singularly Yours
BY BARBARA KAPLAN
WWhen decorating a home, it is good to see what is already in place and what can be redesigned or salvaged.
Recently, while working with client, together, we created a small sitting area in her kitchen. We took a chair and ottoman, and added some color, to give the area a little oomph. My client fell in love with the wonderful fabric we used to make a pillow for the chair. Later, the client called saying that the pillow needed to be restuffed. While having the pillow repaired and restuffed, the client called once again, this time saying how much she missed her pillow. The energy of the room had changed and without the pillow, everything felt different. This is a good example of how small objects can change the feel of a room. Conversely, we also experience a shift when something new is added. This often happens when new furniture and accessories are installed in a client’s home. It
seems that we become accustomed to what we have around us, that it is noticeable when new things are introduced into our spaces. Clients will often say, “I’m not sure how I like this new look.” I usually respond by telling them to live with it and see how you feel in a day or two. It may take time to welcome something new into your home and “bond” with it. Do you have a few favorite things in your home? Which ones did you select because they caught your eye and you had to have them? Do these items give you a feeling of comfort? Would you miss them if they weren’t there?
Many times I will ask clients to show me some of their treasured items. Invariably, they will have to hunt for them— they may be packed away in a drawer, or stuffed in the closet or garage. In any case, these objects d’arte could possibly add a special touch or enhance a new energy into the home— something that was unexpected. A picture can be framed. An old chair reupholstered. A scarf or a tie can be incorporated into the design of a pillow. A piece of jewelry, such as a pin, can adorn a pillow and taken off when needed to accessorize an outfit. No one else can pick these pieces for you. These special objects create a feeling that only you understand. This is your signature, your monogram for the world to see. What is fun about decorating is that you can create and recreate displays that have a special significance to you and you alone. It’s yours and only yours—signature statement— that you get to share with others in your own unique way. Celebrate who you are in all that you choose!
A WELL Designed Home Should Be As Sexy As It Is Sustainable
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MMarci Zaroff grew up in South Florida, and was born an entrepreneur. She was the kid with the lemonade stand and had business cards by the time she turned 11.
Zaroff gravitated towards art and fashion and was awarded "best dressed" in high school. At 16, she met a friend who introduced her to the AVEDA brand. They both learned about the philosophies of plant wisdom, indigenous cultures and ancient healing traditions. Those were the early days. "I have been living an eco-lifestyle for over three decades, and yet I am still learning something new every day," Zaroff stated. Zaroff pioneered the market for "ECOfashion" and is an internationally recognized ECOlifestyle entrepreneur, educator and expert who keynotes globally on organic/ sustainable textiles, strategic creative vision, social innovation, green business/design and the rise of the millennial generation. Zaroff believes millennials are behind the rapidly growing sustainable and ethical fashion movement. "I coined and trademarked the term, "eco-fashion" in 1995, and people thought I was crazy. The sentiment was that these are two dichotomous worlds — people into fashion were not into the environment, sustainability and social justice, and people into being more conscious were not into fashion. And I was like, 'Well, I'm that person. I'm both.’ So, how do I roll up my sleeves and style the world of change while changing the world of style — to bridge the tree hugger and the fashionista?" Zaroff said. Zaroff had an "aha" moment when she realized that the fashion world was primarily excluded from sustainability conversations. Her company, YesAnd is her vision — bringing together both style and sustainability. Zaroff is also the founder and CEO of MetaWear Organic, the engine of her company, offering design and product development, sourcing, production, inspections, quality control, sustainability and certification oversight, and marketing and communication strategy. Their turnkey, customized private-label manufacturing platform makes sustainability "easy" for their countless brand and retail partners — from basics like T-shirts to full contemporary fashion collections.
And if this isn’t enough, Zaroff is also the founder of Under the Canopy, a sustainable fashion and home brand, she has produced two documentaries, "THREAD" and "Driving Fashion Forward," with Amber Valletta, exposing the human and environmental impacts of the fashion industry, and is the co-founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Good Catch Foods and BeyondBrands. Zaroff has appeared in major television and print media, including Newsweek, The New York Times, USA TODAY, InStyle, Lucky, Bloomberg, ELLE, Vanity Fair, CNN, E! Entertainment Television, the Discovery Channel and others. Zaroff has been active in the world of ethical fashion and sustainable supply chain for the last 30 years. She says that she started her career in the food industry in the 1990s. She co-founded the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the world's largest holistic nutrition school that has certified over 150,000 people as health coaches. Afterward, Zaroff segued into clean beauty with the founder of AVEDA. Horst Rechelbacher was also looking to expand AVEDA. Together, they connected the dots between healthy food and clean beauty and opened AVEDA’s first concept salon at her school in New York City. "Our partnership was a divine example of synchronicity, and for over 25 years," Zaroff stated. In her first book, “ECOrenaissance, Co-Creating a Stylish, Sexy and Sustainable World," the premise is that we can change the world through the lens of design. “If we appeal to people at a visceral and aesthetic level — through style, color, fit, high quality, value and everything consumers want—and then layer in the how, what and where, the question shifts from, "Why would I buy sustainable fashion?" to "Why wouldn't I?" she stated.
Zaroff provides inspiring tips describing how to live and shop in harmony with nature without sacrificing style or luxury. She elaborates on how to benefit from the current renaissance—a global rebirth of sustainable economics, progressive ethics and green culture—through the wisdom of eco-entrepreneurs, green fashion designers, organic food purveyors and innovative leaders of this new movement.
"Gone are the days of boxy hemp shirts and gritty granola — cutting-edge innovation has made ecology as stylish and sexy as red carpet fashion, and everyday people are leading the charge with the choices they make." Zaroff embraces sustainable living as both a celebration of style and a necessary strategy for maintaining everyday comforts despite increasingly limited resources. From global warming to drought, genetically modified foods to harmful chemicals in our beauty products, commerce has ignored the health of our planet and our bodies for too long. But now, a new age is dawning—one that is uplifting and accessible. As a proponent of regenerative agriculture, Zaroff says that she is a “soil junkie and organic advocate.” “A third of the world’s textiles are made from cotton; it’s one of the most important crops in agriculture, and 60% of the crop actually goes back into the food stream as feed for dairy or cottonseed oil in mainstream breads, snacks and other products. From agriculture to popular culture, food and fiber are inextricably interconnected.” Zaroff also points out that, “Cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed industries in the world, using GMO seeds and toxic chemical cocktails. Conventional cotton agriculture has destroyed and depleted soil all over the world. We call it ‘the pesticide treadmill.’ The cotton agriculture system is broken socially and environmentally. And, of course, the more we destroy the soil, the less resilient the crops are to climate change. Regenerating our planet’s soil can be our greatest single solution to climate change,” Zaroff says. People, planet, prosperity, passion and purpose are her fundamental principles. "In today's world, where the Internet has changed the game and transparency is paramount, businesses need to incorporate environmental and social accountability into their products and services to stay relevant," she said.
Zaroff feels that the time is now. She says that we are in the middle of a renaissance or rebirth of humanity. Through the lens of design, she believes that we can change the world. "We are all part of a collaborative ecosystem held up by five pillars that I call the 5Cs: Creativity, Connection, Collaboration, Community and Consciousness.” Zaroff is a doer, a visionary and a creator. Her mission is to be the change that she wishes to see in the world. "If we can commit to living the change, we can collectively design a healthier and better reality for all of humanity.” Visit www.marcharoff.com for more information about Marci Zaroff or follow her on Instagram @marcizaroff.
Eliminating Mercury Emissions
ONE PIECE AT A TIME
FUTURA Jewelry takes the future of artisanal gold mining into their own hands
BY ALENA JUTILLA
TThey say you are what you eat. Well, you’re also what you wear. Your fashion choices are not just representative of your style, they represent your values.
As people across the globe experience the challenges of climate change, it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the impending future of our planet. Now more than ever, consumers can use the power of their dollars to empower sustainable initiatives and support brands that are committed to making a difference. These brands sit at the crossroads of beauty and sustainability; they act on an altruistic sense of purpose to manifest the cleaner world we all hope to leave for our grandchildren. One of the companies leading this charge in the space of high-end jewelry is FUTURA. FUTURA Jewelry was founded by Bob Donofrio, a veteran of the jewelry industry. After an incredible career, including time at Bulgari and Roberto Cavalli, Donofrio discovered the horrible truth of artisanal gold mining. Small-scale mines have a detrimental impact on the environment, yet provide most of the gold for the jewelry industry. The more Bob looked, the less he wanted to see.
While large-scale gold mines are much more regulated, artisanal gold mines are mostly unregulated, leaving room for dangerous practices to become commonplace, including the use of mercury and cyanide. In fact, 37% of mercury
emissions come from small-scale gold mines. The next largest source is the stationary combustion of coal, which is responsible for 21% of emissions. Mercury emissions are dangerous because mercury is highly mobile. It can travel across entire countries in the air and return to the planet’s surface through precipitation. Contaminated water infiltrates groundwater, waterways and the oceans, eventually ending up in the raw fish at Saturday night sushi. There is always an impact to environmental damage, no matter how far removed we may feel from the source.
From environmental harm across the world to direct health effects on the miners and their families working with these poisonous mixtures in their very own homes, mercury emissions have dire consequences. Donofrio was determined to find another way. FUTURA embodies the luxury jewelry industry that Donofrio knows so well and embraces a new way to move forward: Mercury-free gold. “As a jewelry industry leader, once I discovered the truth about mercury emissions and smallscale gold mining, I was overcome with an overwhelming desire to get involved and contribute to solving the problem.” Donofrio’s vision is changing the rulebook for gold jewelry standards. Every product from FUTURA is handcrafted with 18-karat Fairmined-certified eco-friendly gold. All FUTURA gold is sourced from three mines that have the Fairmined Ecological stamp of approval. Currently, these certified mines are located in Colombia and Peru. Miners are protected by this assurance label, ecosystem rehabilitation and biodiversity are prioritized, and most importantly, toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide are not used. Now, customers can feel beautiful in gold that has a true positive impact. FUTURA is a proud partner of the United Nations in the quest to eliminate global mercury emissions. The UNEP Global Mercury Partnership is a worldwide initiative to protect both human and environmental health from the severe effects of mercury. Transparency is a key pillar of
FUTURA business model. They are backed by the Alliance for Responsible
Mining’s Standard and
Certification department and even feature their certificate/licensee information online for all to see.
In a world where it is easier to simply look the other way, FUTURA challenges the “right-to-exploit” paradigm of the natural world and of people. As stewards of this planet, it is an organization’s responsibility to invest in better practices now, so we can leave future generations a home that they deserve. FUTURA doesn’t stop there. All of their gold pieces arrive in handcrafted boxes made from sustainably harvested rimu and beech wood from New Zealand. To protect the ecosystem and biodiversity of the region, these trees are harvested under very strict management systems and FUTURA supports these landscape regenerative efforts.
FUTURA hires jewelry historians from around the world to find timeless yet unique designs that have survived thousands of years. This is the foundation of their Legends Collection. FUTURA makes a point to honor the past while working toward a better future.
In addition to Legends, FUTURA has developed their Essentials, Wedding and Forever FUTURA collections. The brand designs timeless rings, wedding bands, necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Their style is classic and refined, yet distinctive enough that you’ll stand out from the crowd. FUTURA has been featured in a number of prominent fashion publications and worn by model Gisele Bündchen. At the end of the day, FUTURA is more than jewelry; it’s a mission. It’s more than a brand; it’s a platform to raise awareness on artisanal gold mining practices and motivate change from both customers and fellow brands. The industry can do better and FUTURA is here to show us it’s possible. For more information, visit www.futurajewelry.com.
TAKING A STAND
BY CAROL KAHN
IInfluential, innovative and progressive, Gucci is reinventing a modern approach to fashion. Under the new vision of creative director Alessandro Michele, the House of Gucci has redefined luxury for the 21st century, further reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most desirable fashion houses. Eclectic, contemporary, romantic—Gucci products represent the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship and are unsurpassed in quality and attention to detail.
Photos courtesy Gucci
Gucci is part of global luxury group, Kering, that manages the development of renowned houses of fashion, leather goods, jewelry and watches. “Gucci is committed to a culture of purpose, putting environmental and social impact at the heart of the brand,” says Gucci President and CEO, Marco Bizzarri. GUCCI EQUILIBRIUM Gucci Equilibrium is the company’s commitment to generate positive change for people and our planet. According to Gucci, “We are powered by creativity and collaboration and are reducing our environmental impact and protecting nature, while also prioritizing inclusivity and respect, so that everyone in our global #GucciCommunity is free to express their authentic, diverse selves. As we celebrate our 100th anniversary, we are moving forward into the coming decades with an ongoing commitment to reinforce our culture of purpose, demonstrating our values through innovative pathways towards social and environmental sustainability. Gucci Equilibrium unifies the principles we uphold and the actions we pursue to treat our world and each other better, for our collective future.”
“Everyone talks about sustainability these days. We read about it every day in the papers and on the web and hear about it on TV. However, not many players are fully transparent nor turn these good intentions into facts,” Bizzarri stated. “This is the main reason why the ecoconscious, social impact Gucci Equilibrium platform came to fruition—to give consumers a choice and know more about sustainability practices at Gucci.” GUCCI-UP In 2018, the company’s commitment to reduce their impact on nature led them to launch “Gucci-Up,” a project dedicated to the recovery and creative reuse of leftover materials to help safeguard natural resources. Their contribution to the circular economy has strengthened in recent years and, with Gucci-Up, it is being incorporated more and more through new collaborations. "Up" stands for "upcycling", which technically means "giving value" to items that are traditionally considered as waste and turning them into resources—raw materials that can be used again and again in new production cycles. In upcycling, waste is transformed through repurposing, repairing and remanufacturing in a way that increases their value, giving it a second life or a virtuous recovery because it makes the most of natural resources and avoids waste going to landfill. With Gucci-Up, obsolete or out-of-collection materials, scraps and waste generated by their production processes become a precious resource that triggers a new process of regeneration—a process that contributes to the reduction of
environmental impacts but also in the creation of positive impacts for the community through the involvement of social enterprises.
COLOR VIVI Through Gucci-Up, the company supports "Color Vivi", a creative lab where migrant women from different countries around the world are employed, creating an impactful sharing between different cultural universes. The women are trained by professional seamstresses and volunteers based on an experiential hands-on approach to learning. Through their work, a message of diversity, cultural coexistence and eco-consciousness is conveyed. In 2019, Gucci committed to a plan of action to further increase diversity and inclusion across the company with a focus on management roles, while continuing to build on their strong foundation of gender diversity and female leadership. “I really believe that creativity and diversity are inextricably linked in our industry. And, the more you are exposed to different views and experiences, the more you fuel the company’s creativity, culture and growth,” Bizzarri explained.
POSITIVE CLIMATE STRATEGY Gucci has been carbon neutral in their operations and entire supply chain since 2018. In 2021, they went beyond carbon neutrality towards a naturepositive approach that protects and restores critical forests and mangroves, while also investing in regenerative agriculture within their supply chains. Gucci is committed to: 1. Conserving critical forests and biodiversity 2. Restoring and protecting mangroves 3. Improving land management through regenerative agriculture Gucci has been exploring the ways to reduce its environmental impacts to the very end of the supply chain. Through a careful selection of their cotton, silk and wool, they support production systems that do not deteriorate natural ecosystems and local biodiversity; rather they promote soil health restoration and increase water and biodiversity conservation overall. No pesticides, insecticides or hazardous chemicals are used in the farming and production of the fibers and they uphold the highest standards for working conditions and animal welfare. As an example, cotton is an important raw material for Gucci and they have been busy replacing conventional cotton with organic alternatives. “We are committed to continue increasing the quantity of certified organic fibers across our collections, ensuring that we are sourcing from supply chains where environmentally and socially responsible criteria have been adhered to every step of the way.” Gucci says that they look at the world in a holistic way and believe that it is their duty to be sustainable, responsible and accountable in everything they do. “We are dedicated to seriously reduce our footprint along our entire supply chain and embrace climate-smart
strategies to help protect and restore nature for the future. What we can’t reduce ourselves, we translate into conserving biodiversity and forests that lessen the impacts of climate change. To share the progress we are making with our community, we are transparent about all the metrics that underpin our ambitious targets that we are striving to achieve by 2025. These goals drive us forward every day to develop eco-friendly sourcing solutions, lowimpact materials, manufacturing efficiencies and circular innovations so that we can act for a better tomorrow.”
Visit www.equilibrium.gucci.com for more information about Gucci Equilibrium.
