The debut of the new “Fantasy Bra” has long been a highlight of the annual Victoria’s Secret’s fashion show. These bras are adorned with precious jewels and are later sold at an auction to support a charitable cause. It’s a proud tradition of Victoria’s Secret and one they take incredibly seriously with past bras being modeled by icons such as Tyra Banks, Gisele Bündchen, and Heidi Klum. This is why it’s so significant that Victoria’s Secret has chosen to use lab grown diamonds (or CVD diamonds) to create this year’s Fantasy Bra.
Elsa Hosk with model the Dream Angel Fantasy Bra at the ‘Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Holiday Special’ this December. The highly anticipated debut of the bra was echoed by Elsa, herself.
“It feels like all the hard work that I’ve done has paid off, and this is gonna be an incredible moment in my life where, you know, I’ll remember this forever,”
This stunning piece of jewelry was crafted by four seasoned artisans who spent nearly a thousand hours to create a bra featuring 2,100 lab grown diamonds including a 2.03 carat, pear-shaped diamond in the center. Grown diamonds are not synthetic imitations of mined diamonds, in fact, they are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined diamonds. By utilizing lab grown diamonds Victoria’s Secret has opted for a more ethical and less expensive alternative to mined diamonds and the lower cost does not appear to be the reasoning behind the decision.
Victoria’s Secret has been known to have a strong sense of responsibility when it comes to helping and improving the environment, communities, inclusions, and labor practices. They always looking for ways to reduce their environmental impact. Since it is no secret that mining diamonds causes damage to the environment, using lab grown diamonds gives them a more ethical alternative. You can see why lab grown diamonds fits more with their commitment to social causes and fair labor practices.
“We’ve implemented an environmental sustainability program and established thoughtful partnerships that are helping us achieve that goal.”
– Greg Cunningham, associate vice president environment, health, safety, and sustainability.
Victoria’s Secret is just the latest company to embrace the trend of using lab grown diamonds in their products. Earlier this year, Rolls Royce chose to use lab grown diamonds in their new limited edition line of cars. Macy’s and Barney’s have also introduced stunning lines of jewelry using lab grown diamonds. As the trend grows, many are coming around to see the benefits of lab grown diamonds over mined diamonds. This increase in popularity is owed largely to millennials.
“A new study by MVI Marketing found millennial consumers are increasingly interested in lab-grown diamonds, especially premier diamond-engagement rings (a category that targets millennials). 70% of millennials will consider a lab-grown diamond engagement ring.”
Millennials tend to be more socially and environmentally conscious compared to previous generations and also suffer from increased debt and financial limitations. This makes lab grown diamonds an incredible alternative to younger people since they are less expensive and there is no child labor or other social injustices involved in creating them.
Victoria’s Secret has made a choice that is as bold as it is thoughtful. They’re helping spread awareness about lab grown diamonds to a vast new audience who may otherwise have never known about their benefits. With new fashion show only a month away, it will be amazing to see the affect this fantasy bra has on the diamond industry and fashion aficionados everywhere. NOVEMBER 14, 2018