Angelina Jolie has launched a range of charitable jewellery in collaboration with the man who designed her sparkler from Brad Pitt and Philip Treacy opens up about Beatrice’s controversial hat and meeting the late Elizabeth Taylor.
The 36-year-old actress has co-designed her range, Style of Jolie, with Robert Procop, with 100 per cent of the profits going to the brunette beauty’s charity Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.
He said, ”It’s a labor of love. Our commitment is always supporting the children’s charity, which remains the overall intention and purpose of the collection.”
Angelina – who raises six children with fiance Brad Pitt – is also hoping to extend her charity work by using funds from her jewellery sales for a girls school in Qala Gadu, Afghanistan.
Robert insists he and Angelina ”strive for nothing less than artistic innovation with every jewel,” and that the line represents her timeless style.
He added to People, ”She is very classically chic. We cultivated this style, which echoes a woman’s timeless allure. When you see the collection, it has a distinction.
”When you look at it, you recognise that it’s the Style of Jolie.”
The Beverly Hills jeweller also created Angelina’s $250,000 engagement ring with input in the design from Brad.
He previously said, ”Brad had a specific vision for this ring, which he realised over a yearlong collaboration.
”He wanted every aspect of it to be perfect, so I was able to locate a diamond of the finest quality and cut it to an exact custom size and shape to suite Angelina’s hand. Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution. The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality.”
The milliner was surprised at how much criticism the outlandish headpiece received when Princess Beatrice donned it for the nuptials of her cousin Prince William and Duchess Catherine last year but was happy it generated conversation about millinery.
He told You magazine, ”I genuinely set out to design a hat with a bow on it. It’s my most favourite hat ever! It was complex in construction, but, most importantly, it got everyone talking about hats – good or bad.
”And it’s even been immortalised as a cake by the Berkeley Hotel in London for its afternoon Prêt-à-Porter tea.”
Philip – whose clients include Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker and The Duchess of Cambridge – loves working with celebrities, but was star struck when he met Dame Elizabeth Taylor four years ago at London’s Dorchester Hotel.
Recalling his meeting with the late actress, he said, ”I took 25 hats to show her and ended up giving them all to her. As a thank you she sent me 100 violet roses, the color of her eyes, and composed me a poem.
”But when she asked, ‘What else can I do for you?’ I asked if she would call my sister. Can you imagine? My sister was doing the laundry at home and I phoned to say, ‘I have Elizabeth Taylor on the phone for you…’ ”
