I've started to look forward to my spring wardrobe of pretty neutrals mixed with hard-edge pieces, eco-friendly fibers and comfortable €œHammer€� pants. But I feel like I have a big hole missing in my jewelry selection when it comes to pairing with these new looks. Large statement pieces were all over the runway, yet they're not in my closet. Enter
Monique Pean. The designer, a former investment banker from Washington, DC, has me drooling over her beautiful jewelry.
Cameron Diaz and
Jamie King are already fans of these gorgeous and sustainable gems. An avid traveler, Pean was inspired by the indigenous cultures to create a sustainable fine jewelry line. The Bering Collection draws from Alaskan Native culture and its adaptation of rare and exotic materials. The line uses the remains of fossilized walrus, caribou and Baleen as well as devastation-free diamonds and 100% recycled gold. 10% of her signature Bering Collection goes to benefit the Alaskan Native Arts foundation. But that€™s not it for her charity work! Her other collection, Charity: Water, collaborates with a nonprofit organization committed to bringing clean water to impoverished people. 50% of the proceeds from each piece goes to build wells and bring clean water and sanitation to communities in need. While these precious pieces may cost you a pretty penny, you know they will last a lifetime, considering some of the material, like the woolly mammoth ivory, has already been around 12,000 years! Prices range from $450-$1,000 for the Charity: Water collection and $2,500 - $45,000 for the Bering Collection. Check out the SLIDESHOW to see some styles!
