MilliOnAir Magazine Winter Edition | Page 35

Tell us how your encounter with Livia Firth was instrumental in sparking Chopard’s Journey to Sustainable Luxury

project?

It all started at the Oscars in 2012 when I met with Livia, who asked me where our gold came from. I immediately

replied ‘from the banks’ but Livia’s question was deeper and put the spotlight on a humanitarian concern. When you

learn that there are millions of men, women and children digging up gold from the valleys and hills [from Africa to

South America], often working in unsafe conditions and unable to get a fair price for their work, you’d better do

something about it. Personally, I was shocked. From that point, I was determined to embark on a mission to change, not

only Chopard as a company and brand but also the entire industry. We launched The Journey to Sustainable Luxury

project in 2013, which has a direct impact on the lives of the people in artisanal mining communities.

What does ethical luxury mean to you?

Luxury is not only about the item presented to you, it is also very important to know its origin and our clients are

becoming more and more concerned about the sourcing of raw material. Ethical luxury means being able to purchase

and wear pieces that you love while having no detrimental impact on nature and the environment and keeping fair

trade a priority at the same time. I am proud to share the stories behind each beautiful piece to our customers and to

know they will wear our creations with pride.