As consumers start planning their holiday purchases, some may be inclined to shop for items that look good and do good.
Among the jewelry that does double duty is a special collection created by Ukrainian fashion brand Bevza in partnership with Mastercard to raise money for children affected by the Ukraine war. The Kalyna capsule includes a 24k gold–plated brass brooch, pendant, and earrings designed to represent elements of Ukrainian culture and artistry.
“My jewelry has always been rooted in Ukrainian culture and national heirlooms, like wheat spikelet, red viburnum, pussy willows, and marigold flowers,” designer Svitlana Bevza tells JCK. “I presented the original viburnum earrings at New York Fashion Week in February 2022, just a few days before the start of the war. I was feeling the pressure of danger for my country in those days, and I felt the need to create a strong protective symbol inspired by century-old traditions. Those earrings became extremely popular worldwide, and I reintroduced them for this charity collection in collaboration with Mastercard.”
People may recognize the iconic Mastercard logo incorporated into the disc design of the jewelry, but the color red was imperative to its creation for a different reason. “Red viburnum tree has been a cultural symbol for Ukrainians for centuries,” Bevza says. “Ubiquitous in folklore and in family traditions, it embodies female beauty, love, and maternity, as well as unity, dignity and resilience, as its red berries can survive through harsh winter conditions. It’s not by chance that the popular song from Eurovision “Oi u luzi chervona kalyna”—“Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow”—had become the anthem of our aspirations for victory.”
The pieces are designed and produced in Kyiv, in what the brand says is a zero-waste facility. “This collection is really very conscious production-wise,” Bevza says. “The jewels are made in brass, and all the metal leftovers are melted again and reused for the new pieces. Afterwards, the items get gold-plated with 24k gold and colored with natural enamels.”
All proceeds from Kalyna sales go to Ukraine House DC‘s Unbreakable program, to help provide prosthetics and rehabilitation in the U.S. for Ukrainian children injured in the war.
“This is not the first time Mastercard has collaborated with my brand—we made two other collaborations in the previous years,” says Bevza. “But it’s the first charity collection in partnership, and the first to be represented and sold internationally at the global priceless.com platform. This is one of the latest in Mastercard’s ongoing efforts to support the Ukrainian people and the country’s economy, and with this collection we also both aspire to remind people about Ukraine’s fight for freedom. By wearing this jewelry, people from all around the world can help.”
The collection is available exclusively for Mastercard holders at priceless.com.
Top: Kalyna brooch in 24k gold–plated brass with enamel, $145; Bevza x Mastercard
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