NYCJW: The Business and Art of Ethical Jewelry: Kyle Roderick Interviews Designer Pippa Small

In this informal conversation, Kyle Roderick, author of the new book Bejeweled: The World of Ethical Jewelry (Rizzoli), speaks with Pippa Small, MBE, about how the designer and anthropologist has guided her ethical jewelry brand to financial success and international prominence. Worn by such globally influential women as Meghan Markle, actor Laura Dern, British supermodel Adwoah Aboah and Kate Middleton, the Pippa Small brand is synonymous with handmade ethical jewelry of great beauty and cultural value.

Roderick and Small discuss how the designer/medical anthropology has spent her career championing the preservation of traditional artisanal jewelry-making techniques through hiring indigenous artisans around the world to fabricate her various collections.

Intriguingly, Small has created jewelry for such fashion designers and brands as Tom Ford, Chloe, and DOSA in fair-mined gold, 22-karat gold and ethically sourced gemstones, vermeil, ostrich eggshell and ethically sourced pearls, etc. Along with commenting on ethical jewelry trends, Small discusses the complexities of partnering with nonprofits that employ jewelry artisans working in precious metals whose cultural traditions, and livelihoods, are threatened by war, economic instability and the proliferation of mass-produced, low-grade metal jewelry. Finally, Small offers insights on how designers, consumers and retailers can work together to help promote ethical jewelry production and retail sales.

This event is part of New York City Jewelry Week (NYCJW). FIT is the official education partner.

New York City Jewelry Week is free and open to the public; RSVP for this event here.