Being green and environmentally conscious permeates consumer branding these days. Every company has a green initiative. Of course anytime a brand attempts to be a little kinder to our earth, I am thrilled, but I often seen the insincerity in the effort, the self-serving marketing undertones… Once in a while you find a brand founded on green principles that is not only 100% authentic, but also quite amazing…. Canadian designer Dandi Maestre’s jewelry line is that rare collection…
Her beyond beautiful, sensual oversized jewelry and accessories are handmade from horn, shed antlers, ancient raw amber, exotic energy seeds, sea shells reclaimed wood and other elements. Her passion for the environment shines not only through her use of organic elements, but also through her manipulation of those elements to create sculptural masterpieces that reflect nature’s bounty. Dandi Maestre’s pieces are sophisticated and dramatic and outshine many of the statement jewels we saw on the Spring runways. The collection is anti-bling, soothing, evocative and pays homage to the very shorelines, rivers, jungles and forests where her materials are cultivated.
On her website she actually provides descriptions for the elements she frequently adapts to create her bold vision of nature and modern style. I found this profoundly interesting so I want to share some of the environmentally friendly highlights with you… “Horn is an organic, rich and durable material. Behind its course exterior hides a breadth of rich colors, tones, and striations that, through a long process of cleaning, cutting, polishing, and buffing, can be discovered. Horn is biodegradable and its main component is calcium, a vigorous natural nutrient. Amber is the fossilized resin from ancient forests and is particularly sensitive. Amber has been cherished not only for its beauty but also because it was thought to heal many types of illness and also to protect against witchcraft, sorcery and the evil eye. These pieces are crude, raw and full of color. Natural energy seeds from the Amazon and the Caribbean add texture and bring an exotic flavor to her creations. All seeds are harvested without harming the trees where they come from. These seeds store the sun’s energy from which she creates organic eco-friendly pieces.”
Sadly the jewelry is not readily available in NYC, though I did find one store on the UES (Lee Anderson, 988 Lexington Ave.) enlightened enough to support this untapped talent. You can also special order the pieces on the website, DandiMaestre.com. Prices vary from as low as $70 to as high as $700 for some of the pieces made from precious materials, but overall the collection is well-priced and well worth any expenditure.
So, if you are pro-environment and I hope you are, Dandi Maestre is the greenest of green. Start thinking about how you spend you money and support brands that do their part to preserve our natural resources, regardless of whether they do it for publicity or because they are true believers…either way works for me!!!!!!
