Last evening, two Met Gala newcomers graced the famed staircase: Pamela Anderson and Pandora. Anderson, the face of the jeweler’s 2023 Lab-Grown Diamonds campaign, adorned herself with nearly 200 carats of pink lab-grown diamonds, pairing them elegantly with a custom nude Oscar de la Renta gown.
Unlike traditional red carpet styling where the dress dictates the jewelry, Anderson’s custom jewelry and gown were born from her own inspiration. Pandora’s co-creative directors, Francesco Terzo and Alessandro Filippo Ficarelli, drew inspiration directly from Anderson’s connection to the natural world, particularly her farm in British Columbia. They saw her as embodying a lightness akin to the morning dew, which served as the conceptual foundation for the pieces.
Crafted in Providence, Rhode Island, just three hours away from the Met, Anderson’s suite of jewels exuded sophistication and craftsmanship. The workshop, boasting a legacy of jewelry manufacturing dating back to 1794, meticulously shaped each piece. From designing to molding to setting the lab-grown diamonds, every step was executed flawlessly to bring the designers’ vision to life.
Designing for the Met Gala presented a thrilling challenge for Terzo and Ficarelli, who were invigorated by the event’s theatrical themes and creative storytelling opportunities. Once the designs were finalized, the meticulous process of casting the molds in 24k white gold and setting them with lab-grown diamonds ensued. A staggering 380 hours of labor from 20 skilled artisans resulted in the creation of Anderson’s dazzling jewelry pieces.
In the end, the culmination of craftsmanship, creativity, and inspiration led to an unforgettable moment for both Anderson and Pandora as they made their debut on the illustrious Met Gala stage.
