KazPost

Kazakhstan News
Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Kerry Washington on Her Elegant, Josephine Baker-Inspired Jewelry Collection

Kerry Washington on Her Elegant, Josephine Baker-Inspired Jewelry Collection

The five-piece lineup of recycled gold rings and necklaces merges past and present.

All fashion is personal, but our attachment to jewels is sentimental-just ask Kerry Washington. The actor, producer, and entrepreneur is an avid collector whose creative process is inextricably linked to baubles. “Part of how I create a character is by thinking about their jewelry,” shared Washington on the phone from Los Angeles. “Our relationship to jewelry is so intimate; we sleep in it, it’s how we commemorate big moments. When people ask me what my favorite piece of jewelry is I have to say my engagement ring and wedding band, because those changed my life. In many ways jewelry serves as this extension of who we are.”

Washington’s interest in the category goes beyond the personal. Since 2020 she’s channeled her expertise into collections for the sustainable luxury brand Aurate. The latest, called ‘Be the Lead,’ draws inspiration from Jazz Age cinema and the leading ladies whose zest for life gave the 1920s its roaring reputation. “Maybe it’s the history nerd in me, but I’d been thinking a lot about the last time the world found itself faced with dark and challenging times due to a virus and its aftermath,” says Washington. “In the ’20s, people began to celebrate again; they wanted to bring back some of the glamour they’d lost.”

In her designs, Washington captures the era’s exuberance via diamond rings with geometric details and flapper-worthy chains adorned with golden fans. “We wanted that Art Deco vibe,” explains Washington. “As we were going through the shapes that we could pull from, we kept coming back to that. There’s something architectural about the style that gives its elegance an edge.” That concept comes through in pieces like the dramatic white Topaz accented ‘Lead’ ear cuff and the matching oversized hoops, which have an appealing mix of past and present.



Still, the collection isn’t a mere throwback. Created using 100% recycled gold vermeil and ethically sourced diamonds, it addresses fashion’s current concerns. “We adhere very strictly to the Kimberley Process, which is so important when sourcing diamonds and gemstones,” says Washington, referring to the global commitment to remove conflict diamonds from the supply chain, which began in 2000. “When most people think of recycling, its aluminum cans, not jewelry, but recycled gold is an incredible resource. You can reuse gold repeatedly without diminishing the quality or creating environmental decay. Even the pearls are cultivated carefully and come from family farms with respect for the Marine environment.”

Aurate’s principals were part of the draw for Washington, who first met founders Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui while searching for companies to invest in or advise. An active startup investor, Washington found Aurate's goal of democratizing fine jewelry a worthy cause. “Often, the businesses I take on focus on equity,” she says. “As a kid from the Bronx who now works in Hollywood, I believe everyone deserves to have beautiful things at a price that’s within reach. I believed in the ethos of the company, which is women-driven, sustainable, and working to empower women in leadership roles.”



Dynamic women also played a role in the collection’s artistic perspective. A lifelong fan of entertainer and civil rights activist Josephine Baker, Washington kept her in mind during the design process. “She embodies the spirit of this collection,” says Washington. “She was unstoppable, one of the first multi-hyphenates. She had her own makeup line, a haircare company. She sang, danced, produced, and was a phenom professionally, but she was also a spy for the resistance in Europe during World War II and a complete badass!”

Baker’s journey from St. Louis vaudevillian to headliner at the Folies Bergère and one of the most celebrated performers of all time is inspiring, but in Washington’s view, such tenacity lies within us all. With her creations hitting Aurate’s e-commerce today, she hopes women from all walks of life are inspired to put themselves first. “A lot of our customers are women who are buying jewelry for themselves, and I love that they’re finding pieces that allow them to walk through the world boldly,” she says. “I play the lead in [fictional] stories all the time but becoming the lead within your life is different. You have to be willing to become the center of your story. No matter who you are or where you come from, everyone deserves that opportunity, and that’s what this collection is about.”


Newsletter

Related Articles

KazPost
0:00
0:00
Close
It's always the people with the dirty hands pointing their fingers
Paper straws found to contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals - study
FTX's Bankman-Fried headed for jail after judge revokes bail
Blackrock gets half a trillion dollar deal to rebuild Ukraine
America's First New Nuclear Reactor in Nearly Seven Years Begins Operations
Southeast Asia moves closer to economic unity with new regional payments system
Today Hunter Biden’s best friend and business associate, Devon Archer, testified that Joe Biden met in Georgetown with Russian Moscow Mayor's Wife Yelena Baturina who later paid Hunter Biden $3.5 million in so called “consulting fees”
Singapore Carries Out First Execution of a Woman in Two Decades Amid Capital Punishment Debate
Google testing journalism AI. We are doing it already 2 years, and without Google biased propoganda and manipulated censorship
Unlike illegal imigrants coming by boats - US Citizens Will Need Visa To Travel To Europe in 2024
Musk announces Twitter name and logo change to X.com
The future of sports
Unveiling the Black Hole: The Mysterious Fate of EU's Aid to Ukraine
Farewell to a Music Titan: Tony Bennett, Renowned Jazz and Pop Vocalist, Passes Away at 96
Alarming Behavior Among Florida's Sharks Raises Concerns Over Possible Cocaine Exposure
Transgender Exclusion in Miss Italy Stirs Controversy Amidst Changing Global Beauty Pageant Landscape
TikTok Takes On Spotify And Apple, Launches Own Music Service
Global Trend: Using Anti-Fake News Laws as Censorship Tools - A Deep Dive into Tunisia's Scenario
Arresting Putin During South African Visit Would Equate to War Declaration, Asserts President Ramaphosa
Hacktivist Collective Anonymous Launches 'Project Disclosure' to Unearth Information on UFOs and ETIs
Typo sends millions of US military emails to Russian ally Mali
Server Arrested For Theft After Refusing To Pay A Table's $100 Restaurant Bill When They Dined & Dashed
The Changing Face of Europe: How Mass Migration is Reshaping the Political Landscape
China Urges EU to Clarify Strategic Partnership Amid Trade Tensions
Europe is boiling: Extreme Weather Conditions Prevail Across the Continent
The Last Pour: Anchor Brewing, America's Pioneer Craft Brewer, Closes After 127 Years
Democracy not: EU's Digital Commissioner Considers Shutting Down Social Media Platforms Amid Social Unrest
Sarah Silverman and Renowned Authors Lodge Copyright Infringement Case Against OpenAI and Meta
Why Do Tech Executives Support Kennedy Jr.?
The New York Times Announces Closure of its Sports Section in Favor of The Athletic
BBC Anchor Huw Edwards Hospitalized Amid Child Sex Abuse Allegations, Family Confirms
Florida Attorney General requests Meta CEO's testimony on company's platforms' alleged facilitation of illicit activities
The Distorted Mirror of actual approval ratings: Examining the True Threat to Democracy Beyond the Persona of Putin
40,000 child slaves in Congo are forced to work in cobalt mines so we can drive electric cars.
Historic Moment: Edgars Rinkevics, EU's First Openly Gay Head of State, Takes Office as Latvia's President
An Ominous Shift in Warfare: Western Powers Risk War Crimes and Violate International Norms with Cluster Bomb Supply to Ukraine
Bye bye democracy, human rights, freedom: French Cops Can Now Secretly Activate Phone Cameras, Microphones And GPS To Spy On Citizens
The Poor Man With Money, Mark Zuckerberg, Unveils Twitter Replica with Heavy-Handed Censorship: A New Low in Innovation?
The Double-Edged Sword of AI: AI is linked to layoffs in industry that created it
US Sanctions on China's Chip Industry Backfire, Prompting Self-Inflicted Blowback
Meta Copy Twitter with New App, Threads
The New French Revolution
BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Application Refiled, Naming Coinbase as ‘Surveillance-Sharing’ Partner
Corruption in the European Parliament - Business as usual
UK Crypto and Stablecoin Regulations Become Law as Royal Assent is Granted
Paris Suburb Grapples with Violence as Curfew Imposed: Saint-Denis Residents Express Dismay and Anger
A Delaware city wants to let businesses vote in its elections
Alef Aeronautics Achieves Historic Milestone with Flight Certification for World's First Flying Car
Google Blocked Access to Canadian News in Response to New Legislation
French Politicians Advocate for Pan-European Regulation on Social Media Influencers
×