Francisco Costa Designs Necklace for Fred Leighton Benefiting Brazil’s Indigenous People
Fashion designer Francisco Costa and jeweler Fred Leighton have linked with storied auction house Phillips on a special necklace design to benefit an indigenous people in Brazil.
The long statement necklace was designed by Costa and created by Fred Leighton jewelers. It is comprised of breu tree resin and acai seeds sourced in the Amazon, combined with more traditional fine jewelry materials like antique cut diamonds, yellow diamond briolettes, antique gold chains and quartz crystal.
More from WWD
“The breu resin stones used in this necklace were harvested sustainably from the heart of the Amazon and wrapped in medicinal leaves, contrasting with the raw, upcycled diamonds and gold architectural elements of the necklace. I am so proud to have designed this unique piece with both skillful craftsmanship and the natural essence of the Brazilian Amazon,” said Costa, the former creative director of Calvin Klein who launched his own sustainable wellness brand Costa Brazil in 2018, said of the necklace’s organic design. Costa himself was born and raised in Guarani, Brazil, — an important stronghold for indigenous people in the country.
“It’s wonderful to be in the presence of kindness, with everyone that has come together to create this magical piece of jewelry. From the women of the Yawanawa tribe who are at the essence of this project, to Rebecca Selva at Fred Leighton who helped sublime my design with the finest old-mine diamonds, and the team at Phillips who believed in our mission, the community that has been created around the project is truly inspiring,” he added.
The necklace will be auctioned as part of Phillips’ larger online jewelry sale that will culminate on June 25 and is estimated to fetch between $20,000 and $40,000. Proceeds will be donated to Conservation International — a non-profit that brings awareness and resources to indigenous communities in Brazil, many of which have been especially hard-hit during the COVID-19 crisis. Brazil is thought to have among the highest pandemic death tolls worldwide and is currently seeing a surge in cases amid delayed vaccine rollouts.
Greg Kwiat, chief executive officer for Fred Leighton added: “The indigenous communities of the Brazilian Amazon are the guardians of the rainforest’s vital ecosystems and biodiversity on which we all depend. We are proud to support them through Conservation International and to help them recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It is our honor to collaborate with Francisco Costa, and we invite you to join us on June 25 for the Phillips auction of this extraordinary necklace.”
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
