Natural Diamonds and Sustainable Stones Take Centre Stage at This Year’s Virtual Green Carpet Fashion Awards, Italia

Since 2017, the annual Green Carpet Fashion Awards, Italia (GCFA) hosted by Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana (CNMI), in collaboration with Eco-Age and with the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), has celebrated the game changers and visionaries leading the charge for change in the fashion industry. The awards shine a spotlight on new ways of thinking and working, while demonstrating that sustainable fashion is glamorous to inspire a more socially and environmentally responsible future.

While the challenges of 2020 meant that it was impossible to host a physical event during Milan Fashion Week this year, producer Eco-Age instead combined cinematic footage, augmented reality, holograms and virtual FX to transport the glittering awards ceremony to the living rooms of audiences all over the world. For this very special virtual edition, Milan’s iconic La Scala opera house was transformed into a mystical virtual garden of paradise with flowers, trees, waterfalls and butterflies – providing a magical backdrop for the ceremony.

And while there was no physical green carpet this year, stars of stage, screen and fashion industry instead joined forces on the world’s first digital green carpet, where they all came together to celebrate the outstanding achievements of designers, icons and change agents whose commitment to creating a more sustainable fashion industry is defining the looks of today.

Guests all over the world including Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Robert Downey Jr, Lewis Hamilton, Iman, Sophie Okonedo, Alexa Chung, Colin Firth, Nomzamo Mbatha and Maisie Williams, took the occasion to dress up in their finest sustainable gowns and suits, adding a touch of sparkle with dazzling diamonds and jewelry.  

Livia Firth, Eco-Age co-founder and creative director says: “It is extraordinary to see how our Green Carpet Fashion Awards have evolved through the years, today becoming this virtual global experience for everyone to see.  Sustainability is centre stage – from the rationale behind the awards, to the recipients, the gowns and the jewelry.  Every guest’s look is an ode to what incredible change we can affect when we wear positive stories.” Let’s take a look at some of the Green Carpet diamond looks from this year’s guests: 

Zendaya, winner of the GCFA Visionary Award, accepted her accolade, saying: “I’m so excited for the future of this industry and all the beautiful things that we have still to accomplish.” She wore a vintage silk beaded archive dress from the Versace autumn/winter 1996 collection – the year of her birth, accompanied by a suite of BulgariSerpenti diamond jewellery. Zendaya paired the Serpenti bracelet, made in pink gold, featuring two pear-shaped, brilliant-cut diamonds (0.47 ct) and pavé diamonds (13.09 ct) with Serpenti earrings also in pink gold, set with four pear-shaped emeralds (0.67 ct), six fancy corals and pavé diamonds (2.44 ct) and two rings B.zero1 Rock 2 band ring in yellow gold and diamond Serpenti Viper ring in yellow gold and diamond.

Arizona Muse sparkled in a show-stopping, red Alberta Feretti gown made from organic silk, accompanied by a stunning natural-diamond necklace by Bulgari.

Ellie Goulding stunned in a custom-made, emerald-green couture Ralph & Russo silk and double satin gown designed by Creative Director Tamara Ralph, featuring over 150 responsibly sourced Zambian emeralds from Gemfields, a world-leading supplier of ethically sourced African gemstones. Ellie’s look was completed with two Chopard rings featuring diamonds and emeralds set in Fairmined gold.  Ellie described the event on her Instagram as ‘magical’.

Julianne Moore wore one of her favorite magenta pleated dresses by Givenchy, designed by Clare Waight Keller, accompanied by unique diamond earrings made for Julianne by Chopard, featuring two 2.02 CT round brilliant-cut diamonds and 150 0.33 CT FC diamonds.

Petra Nemcova wore a striped baby-pink, upcycled dress by zero-waste designer Jiri Kalfar, made locally from recycled plastic, accompanied by the Chopard Haute Joaillerie earrings from the Green Carpet Collection, inspired by the iconic Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or. The earrings are fashioned from 18ct white Fairmined gold, set with marquise-cut diamonds, sourced from an RJC certified company. Petra Nemcova said she felt like ‘Conscious Cinderella’ at the ball.