FROM MINE TO MET GALA
SMO GOLD
ATTENDS THE MET GALA
In response to the brief, Emefa Cole designed a suite, comprising of a headpiece, based on a coral branch and crafted using tiny gold nuggets of SMO gold.
The suite was accompanied by showstopping earrings and two cocktail rings, hand textured to look like ‘silky liquid gold’.
The SMO Gold can be traced to Endeavour Mining’s, Ity mine in Cote d’Ivoire, celebrated for its responsible mining practice, adhering to the strictest ESG standards.
WORTH THEIR WEIGHT COLLECTION
-
WORTH THEIR WEIGHT HAIRPIECE
-
CALDERA RING
-
WORTH THEIR WEIGHT CUFFS
-
SHIELD RING
-
WORTH THEIR WEIGHT EARRINGS
A PERFECT MATCH
Meet the maker
EMEFA COLE
Emefa Cole is a Ghanaian-born, London based jewellery designer – maker, specialising in atmospheric jewellery forms.
Inspired by her African roots, fluid organic shapes, nature’s colours and elements, Emefa creates bold sculptural pieces that are tactile celebrations of the natural world.
Her love of colour pairings and texture shine through her craftsmanship bringing to life her wearable art.
“I want more makers to know who is mining their materials and to use SMO Gold. All my gold is from the Ity Mine in Côte d'Ivoire and two incredible women run it. These mines provide vital social, environmental and cultural support to local communities.”
- Emefa Cole
IN THE KNOW
THE MET GALA
The Met Gala is the world's most prestigious fashion event, held annually in New York on the first Monday in May for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City.
The guest list is composed of the good & the great, key personalities who are perceived to be contemporaneously relevant to society & culture and hand-picked by indomitable editor and chief of US Vogue, Anna Wintour.
It is a great honour to be invited to co-host and for Michaela Cole to use this global stage to shine a light on the talents of Emefa Cole and the work of SMO gold is a gracious and important gesture rarely seen on the red carpet.
MICHAELA COEL'S JEWELLERY
FROM MINE TO MET
As an early adopter of SMO gold, jewellery designer Emefa Cole could confidently reassure Michaela that the gold used would be responsibly sourced and fully traceable to the land of both of their parents’ birth.
The Gold used for the Met Gala suite of jewellery came from Endeavour Mining’s, Ity mine in Cote d’Ivoire.
The 'Chain of Custody' from mine to market allows all SMO Gold to be accompanied by a QR code for customers to see which mine their gold was sourced from and the positive environmental & social impact that mine is having on the local communities.
WORTH THEIR WEIGHT
Following the Met Gala 2023, the jewellery pieces have become part of a new collection which also includes two large cuffs, a bangle and brooch titled “Worth Their Weight” – a play on the sheer weight of fully traceable gold and the traditional Akan brass weights used by West African people as measuring tools.
The collection worn by Michaela Cole bears its own QR code to take you from Mine-to-Met and witness the journey of the Gold; the mine, the miners, the community and environmental projects, meet Emefa Coel in her studio and finally see Michaela Coel on the red carpet. Traceability at its best.
