Butterfly wings and other luxury things: Q&A with Fehmida Lakhany

Every piece is completely bespoke.   Fehmida’s ruby and diamond encrusted Butterfly Earrings harness the symbolic power of one of nature’s most beautiful creatures, the ethereal butterfly. The butterfly wings are embellished with a patchwork of Mozambican rubies and diamonds in a zebra-style pattern that evokes the spirit of an African safari. There are larger ‘eye of the tiger’ rubies interspersed, and the earrings are set in 18k rose gold.   One fact you’ve learned about Gemfields through doing this project? Gemstone mining for Gemfields is about more than just ensuring that gems are responsibly mined – their aim is to create a better society and to have a positive impact not only on the mining communities, but also on wider society; this is evident in their partnership with Walk for Giants, which demonstrates that the conservation of our wildlife and environment is as important as the mining process that takes place in Africa.   If people learn one thing from this collaboration, what would you like it to be? That being sustainable can be fashionable, and although the industry we work in is based on luxury, there is an element of conscientiousness too. Through this collaboration and our designs, we have been able to combine both elements: providing a sense of purpose while allowing the wearer to delve into a world of luxury.   Have you ever considered making a piece out of entirely recyclable materials? In some cases, our jewels are made from melting old jewellery and reusing the gold. To date, we’ve never made a piece entirely from recyclable materials – but we love a challenge… so why not?!   Why is using responsibly sourced gemstones important to you? The conservation of our planet and contributing positively to society is not only a business priority, but also a personal one. There is nothing better than being able to combine my passion and simultaneously make a positive impact. By responsibly sourcing gemstones, I have the reassurance that the art we create is ethical and that the communities that work so hard mining the gemstones benefit from the pieces we design. Furthermore, responsible mining and knowing the journey that the gemstone takes allows me to educate and share useful insights with my clients, who value this information.   If you could wear one of the pieces from the collaboration, not from your own collection, which would it be? Sandy Leong’s double ball drop earrings   Click here to view this exciting capsule collection.

Image Credits: ‘Walk For Giants’, photography by Federico Pestilli, creative direction by Riccardo Ruini, shot on location at Enasoit Game Sanctuary