Palladium Alliance International Announces Exclusive Collaboration with Celebrated Designer Dame Vivienne Westwood

NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Palladium Alliance International (PAI), is developing a unique collaboration with acclaimed British designer, Vivienne Westwood, to create  the limited edition Vivienne Westwood "Get A Life" Palladium Collection. The designs will be unveiled during London Fashion Week in February 2011 and will be available exclusively in Vivienne Westwood boutiques in London and Los Angeles in spring 2011.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110118/NY31547 )

"Jewelry has nothing to do with Get a Life. Get a Life is about how we stop climate change and therefore preserve life for the next generation while at that same time get a better life. My focus at the moment is what one person can do. Stop climate change. Save the planet. The acorn is symbolic of the rainforest, its importance and how it is our first duty to save it," - Vivienne Westwood

From the beginning of her career, Westwood has used her fashion as a vehicle for communicating ideas.  Her bespoke Palladium collection includes elements inspired by the need to act, affect, preserve and allow our environment to flourish.  Designs from the collection are inspired by nature and symbols from paganism - the acorn, the oak tree and a heart all feature prominently to represent strength, luck, power and hope for change to make the environment better for the future.

Palladium is a metal derived from nature; originating from the platinum family, Palladium is naturally white, maintains its color for a lifetime, and light and strong, making it an excellent choice for fine jewelry.

"We wanted Dame Vivienne Westwood to showcase Palladium to the world because of her continued exploration and reinterpretation of history, combined with a tireless individualism which has cemented her reputation as the UK's most culturally significant fashion designer. We believe this creativity and individuality make her the perfect fit for the brand and her designs will complement our metal," said John Stark, Chairman for the Palladium Alliance International.

Creative Minds Meld with Palladium

Not only is Westwood creating a Palladium collection but student designers in New York City and London will also be showcasing their talent with the metal.

In the United States, students from Fashion Institute of Technology's (FIT) highly-regarded Jewelry Design Program will collaborate with New York City's top fashion and lifestyle bloggers to design a completely original bespoke collection of Palladium jewelry that will be unveiled in spring 2011. Students will lend their talent and creativity to the process while bloggers will report on the design and development process.

In London, Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design has created a design competition among its jewelry students to create a two-piece set of jewelry. The five most inspirational designs will be produced, in a limited edition, using Palladium. The overall winner will be announced in March 2011.

About Palladium Alliance International

Formed in March 2006, Palladium Alliance International (PAI) is the world's first organization dedicated to establishing Palladium as a luxurious, precious and distinctive metal. Since its inception, PAI has spearheaded a global communications program with the jewelry trade that includes a range of online and offline initiatives, VIP events, seminars and advertising efforts. This is the first time in history Palladium will be actively marketed to consumers as a precious jewelry metal. PAI continues to grow its coalition of talented experts who work with retailers, producers and manufacturers all over the world. Let PAI show you the future of fine jewelry: Palladium.

About Palladium

From the Greek name "Pallas", goddess of wisdom, Palladium was discovered by the British chemist William Hyde Wollaston in 1803. Palladium is the contemporary precious white metal which is naturally white for a lifetime. Palladium is a precious, light and hard metal with superior attributes, it is more precious than silver and whiter than platinum. Because it is also lighter than platinum, nearly half the weight, more intricate necklaces and bracelets can be made capable of bearing larger gemstones.

About Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood began designing in 1971 along with her partner Malcolm McLaren when London was at the forefront of cultural trends. The showcase for their ideas and designs was the shop at 430 Kings Road, London. With her changing ideas of fashion came the change of not only the name of the shop but the entire decor as well. However, it was in 1976 which saw Westwood and McLaren redefine a street culture of their own with punk and "Seditionaries". In 1981, the shop was renamed "World's End" which remains its name to this day. By the end of the seventies Vivienne Westwood was already considered a symbol of the British avant-garde and for Autumn/Winter 1981 she showed her first catwalk presentation at Olympia in London. It was her Pirate collection which launched the New Romantic movement. In October 1982, Westwood began to show in Paris, the first British designer to do so since Mary Quant. 1986 was the year which marked a radical change of direction for her. Street style and youth culture ceased to play a major part of her work and instead, Westwood looked to traditional Savile Row tailoring techniques, British fabrics and 17th and 18th century art for inspiration. The orb logo which was first used around this time perfectly symbolized taking tradition into the future. In 1990 Westwood was awarded the prestigious title of British designer of the year and for the following year Westwood was awarded British Designer of the year again. 2004 saw the V&A host a Vivienne Westwood retrospective exhibition to celebrate her 34 years in fashion – the largest exhibition ever devoted to a living British fashion designer. The exhibition toured the world for over 4 years and was shown in over ten cities worldwide including London, Milan, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Canberra and San Francisco. Her contribution to British Fashion was officially recognized when she was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth the Second in 2006. The Vivienne Westwood brand today offer 4 clothing ranges – Gold Label, Red Label, Anglomania and MAN plus seasonal accessories, jewelry, bags, eyewear and footwear collections. Vivienne Westwood continues to show in Paris, Milan and London. She uses the medium of her shows to talk about culture and politics, more specifically about the urgent need to act against climate change. While still completely independent, her business continues to grow with boutiques in China and Los Angeles set to open next year. Vivienne Westwood is now recognized as a global brand and Westwood herself as one of the most influential fashion designers in the world today.

SOURCE Palladium Alliance International