John Hardy, sustainable luxury
His story is one of those that inspires you to pick up your backpack and go off to discover the world in these uncertain times, assuming there is something left to discover.
Who is John Hardy? John Hardy was a savvy art student with a taste for the exotic who arrived in Bali in 1975 and set out to learn the techniques of the local jewelers, who in turn came from the goldsmiths of the ancient kingdoms of the country . He started out making bracelets with a few artisans, and by the early 1990s he was selling at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
His other personal and professional half, Cynthia Hardy, put the artist's head and finances in order and together they created a brand that today has its own stores in Hong Kong and Jakarta and it is present in more than 600 points of sale throughout the world, among which Spain will soon be included by the hand of El Corte Inglés. In the late 1990s, John and Cynthia sold John Hardy to two French partners and disassociated themselves from the brand, but his spirit is still very much alive in this corner of Ubud, in the interior of Bali.
The facilities are located in Ubud, in the interior of Bali.
His style John Hardy's jewelry is inspired by nature and Asia . Bamboo, rattan, polished rocks and Hindu mythology are present in his collections, which combine traditional Balinese techniques, such as the hand-hammering of silver, with the modern designs of French high jewellery. We are told by its Creative Director and Chief Designer, Guy Beradida, who today plays host and guides us through the workshops where the jewels are made, and who before moving to Bali worked for the Van Cleef & Arples brand in New York. Silver, gold and precious and semi-precious stones come from his workshops in Bali and Bangkok..
Guy says that when he received the call from John Hardy in his spacious New York office, he thought the Canadian was joking: “Trade VC&A and New York for John Hardy and Bali? It certainly wasn't in my plans." , he tells us he. But John convinced him by inviting him to Bali to see the company, and the rest is history.
Asian-inspired jewelry
His philosophy. Contributing to the conservation of the environment or achieving a world "greener every day" are not just opportune marketing positions. John Hardy's headquarters in Ubud, which could pass for a luxury hotel in the middle of the rice terraces , is built with natural materials, among which baked clay and bamboo stand out. To offset the carbon emissions that its business activity may produce, the company has planted up to last year more than 600,000 small bamboo trees in 114 Balinese villages . Bamboo fights deforestation and helps preserve water, two of the threats facing Bali, and half of the world, today.
His programme Jobs for Life (Jobs for Life) trains young Balinese, who for two years learn a trade with which they can earn a living, be it cooking, farming or designing at the headquarters of John Hardy.
The philosophy: conservation of the environment
The final product also reflects this philosophy. Much of the silver they use is recycled , avoiding as far as possible the extraction of new metals. And in an exercise of trust unimaginable in our Western societies, the women who weave silver work from home, so they can take care of the little ones and earn a salary at the same time. As for the price, in Guy's words, “John Hardy is a democratic jewelry brand, high jewelry with the fun spirit of fashion” . His one-of-a-kind pieces start at 450 euros, a fairly reasonable price when compared to the big French jewelry houses.
His company dining room. One of the central moments of the day is lunch, which is served on a long wooden table in various shifts, and is attended by all the employees and visitors of the day, along with the company's management. On the day of our visit, Guy and the General Manager, Eric Van Loon, sat at the table with us. In a pavilion without walls blessed by the constant breeze and with incomparable views of the rice plantations and an organic menu worthy of a luxury restaurant It is hard to believe that this is just another day in the company canteen.
Its headquarters in Ubud, Bali can be visited by appointment.
Organic food in a dining room with a view