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Oct 19/2005


Canadian Fashion Designer Paul Hardy Breaks the Ice with the First Couture Diamond Jewellery Collection Featuring Government Certified Canadian Diamonds

A debut during L’Oreal Fashion Week in Toronto shows exquisite Hardy designs crafted by Moshe Namdar with unique diamonds from the Canada Dene Diamond facility in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

Toronto, ON (October 19, 2005): Fashion critics praise the details in Paul Hardy’s acclaimed designs. This fall, Hardy takes his creativity one step further with his first fine jewellery collection, featuring government certified diamonds of the Canadian Arctic.

Paul Hardy Canadian diamond jewellery is poised to become classic pieces worn day to night. They include a diamond ring, necklace, bracelet and earrings. The expert craftsmanship of the diamond cutting and polishing team at the Canada Dene Diamond facility is matched by the work of the team at renowned diamantaire Moshe Namdar of Israel. The level of worksmanship at Moshe Namdar has enabled them to supply some of the most discriminating jewelers in the world. Each unique piece is hand finished in the United States by some of the most talented jewelers in the business using the finest diamonds and precious metals.

Not only are the design and craftsmanship distinct, so are the diamonds they feature. The only diamonds used in the collection are those that have been carefully monitored from the Arctic mines through the cutting and polishing stages and are deemed by the Government of the Northwest Territories as worthy to carry their certification. To celebrate the launch of the Rare in Nature campaign, the collection bears its name – Rare in Nature – and will be presented by esteemed retailers in the United States and Canada.

”Seeing the brilliance of our Canadian manufactured and certified diamonds enhanced by Paul Hardy’s exquisite designs is an incredibly exciting step forward, not only for Moshe Namdar & Co. and Paul Hardy but also for the Canadian diamond market,” says Namdar.

About Paul Hardy Canadian born and based, Paul Hardy took his career from design school graduate to personal shopper to acclaimed designer. Officially, Paul Hardy began his design career in 2002 with an opening show at Toronto Fashion Week where his first collection saw a host of rave reviews declaring, "a star is born." After seeing that first collection, fashion icon Jeanne Beker, host of Fashion Television and now editor of FQ Magazine, described Hardy's talent as being that of the likes of Marc Jacobs or Stella McCartney. Visit paulhardydesign.com.

About Moshe Namdar Moshe Namdar began his career in the diamond business 40 years ago in Italy. He had always envisioned making diamonds a global brand. In 1981 Moshe’s vision was realized when he co-founded the Schachter & Namdar Group with Leo Schachter. The union became a corporate brand in itself as one of the most successful, recognizable and respected diamond houses in the world. The Schachter & Namdar Group are sightholders of the three main rough suppliers in the world, DeBeers, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.

In 2004 Moshe Namdar & Co. began operating as an independent branch of the Schachter & Namdar Group. Today Moshe Namdar is a global enterprise with worldwide distribution offices in Israel, New York, Hong Kong, Italy and Spain and polishing factories in China, Canada, Romania, Botswana and Israel.

About the Rare in Nature Initiative To further support its diamond industry, the Government of the Northwest Territories and partners are mounting an international awareness campaign to position itself as North America's diamond centre and capitalize on the potential for economic, social and cultural development in the North through diamonds. With a host of special events, consumer and retailer programs and spectacular promotional activities in Canada and the United States, the “Rare in Nature” campaign is a multi-faceted global effort which will promote the exciting new tourism niche of diamond travel; fuel the growth of skilled diamond trades in Canada; and invite Canadian and international designers to work with the exceptional diamonds and talented people of the north. For more information, visit rareinnature.com.

About L’Oreal Fashion Week The Rare in Nature campaign is officially launched during L’Oréal Fashion Week in October, 2005. Through L’Oreal Fashion Week and outgoing missions in Milan, Paris, London and New York, the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) is intent upon showcasing Canadian designers to the world. Founded in 1999, the FDCC is a national, non-profit industry association that exists to mobilize and promote fashion in Canada. For more information, visit www.fdcc.ca.