NEWS

WIRES

OTHER

Jewelry to Mourn the Gulf Coast

Renowned Jewelry Designer Mignon Faget Announces Effort to Raise Awareness and Funds for Gulf Coast Restoration

Renowned New Orleans jewelry designer Mignon Faget introduced a collection of designs dedicated to raise awareness and funds for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

Mignon Faget began her design career over forty years ago with a collection inspired by the nature of the Gulf Coast Region. The Gulf Coast and Southwest Louisiana are the seed banks for her work. "I have lived here all of my life and what is so beautiful about Louisiana comes out through my work. It is a mysterious place," says Faget.

Mignon has selected and redesigned pieces from her earlier collections inspired by the Gulf Coast wildlife currently threatened. She calls the collection "In Mourning." This collection is designed to be worn in the tradition of mourning jewelry. Redfish, speckled trout, oysters and pelicans are presented as pins backed with black ribbons, or worn as pendants on black cords. An oyster necklace is oxidized to an oil-stained silver, a large oyster hangs from black and brown ribbons, sterling crabs and shrimp charms dangle from an oxidized black chain bracelet reminiscent of the chains found on oil rigs. A large tuna or tarpon brooch is suggested to be worn "belly up." "It is a heartbreaking statement to make with jewelry originally designed to celebrate the abundant gifts of our coast," says Faget, "but the reality is that we need to make people aware of this disaster and the long-term effects on this region. We all need to do what we can."

The Gulf Coast collection benefits the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. For over two decades the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has worked to restore and protect a sustainable coastal Louisiana. CRCL represents a unique mix of businesses, local governments, industries, scientific communities, national and local conservation organization groups, hunters, anglers and a broad spectrum of concerned citizens who all share a common commitment to the sustainability of coastal Louisiana. In the wake of the BP Oil Spill that is threatening our coast, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana is coordinating volunteers to assist in local, state and federal recovery efforts in Louisiana.

Mignon Faget's Gulf Stream glassware will also be sold to benefit the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Faget's successful fundraising efforts have supported other worthy causes in the past. Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, Mignon Faget reopened her galleries donating a percentage of sales of her fleur de lis designs and sales of her Rebirth Ribbon and Anniversary Amulet to the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation. Her efforts raised over $150,000 to help bring artists and art institutions back to New Orleans.

The Gulf Coast collection is available in Mignon Faget galleries in New Orleans and Baton Rouge as well as through www.mignonfaget.com.