John Hardy (jewelry)

John Hardy (b. November 28, 1949 in Canada) is a Bali-based jewelry designer whose line of intricate handmade jewelry and home accessories were inspired by his idea of "sustainable luxury", a belief that a business can be successful while still respecting the natural and human environments and planning for future generations.

Biography

Hardy first traveled to Bali as an art student in 1975. There he learned ancient jewelry-making techniques from traditional Balinese silversmiths and incorporated these techniques into designs featuring complex patterns and shapes representing a philosophical harmony inspired the culture's stories, myths and legends.

Company

John Hardy is a luxury brand of handmade designer jewelry sold in North America in fine department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as other retailers in the United States and the Caribbean. Recently, the business has expanded worldwide in countries such as Hong Kong China, Russia, Japan, France, UK and Dubai.

In July 2007, Hardy sold his stakes in the firm, but remains the company's "visionary". The company is now run by a management team in offices based in Bali, Hong Kong, Bangkok and New York, and employs 1,000 employees worldwide. [ [http://www.wwd.com/notavailable/archive?target=/search/article/117224&articleId=117224&articleType=A&industryKw=search&industryKw2=searcharticle WWD.com Archived Article ] ]

Environmentalism

Hardy is an environmentalist an advocate of the use of bamboo as an alternative to timber for building and reforestation. His pioneering program of sustainable advertising aims to offset the carbon emissions associated with his yearly corporate print advertising by planting bamboo on the island of Nusa Penida. Working collaboratively with the Institute for Sustainable Communication, Hardy concluded that offsetting the carbon emissions associated with all of his print advertisements in the year 2006 would require two hectares of planted bamboo for 6.83 years, a calculation based on the estimated rate of carbon dioxide sequestration for bamboo grown on Nusa Penida. The project also achieves several social and conservation goals, as the bamboo is fully owned and managed by local community groups, while the planted groves provide a habitat for the endangered Bali Starling. In 2007 Hardy and his wife, Cynthia, endowed a new independent school called Green School to provide a holistic education to children in a sustainable environment. The school is located in Bali near Ubud.

Copyright lawsuits

An article in the January 18, 2008 issue of the "The Bali Times" reported that the John Hardy firm was being sued in an Illinois court over allegations its employees used intimidation and other tactics to force a Bali-based jeweler from selling designs based on traditional Balinese art. [cite web|title= Prominent Bali Jewelry Firm Sued in US. - Ref. William J. Furney, managing editor, The Bali Times – Jan 18, 2008|url= http://www.thebalitimes.com/2008/01/18/prominent-bali-jewelry-firm-sued-in-us/|accessdate=2008-05-12] .

“John Hardy [the company] is trying to claim ownership of all designs originating from Balinese folk art, which originated from the people of Bali, and belong to them. My primary objective in filing this lawsuit was to protect these Balinese motifs. It’s important to me that the Balinese people be able to produce these motifs, and offer them to the world,” said Christina Tobin, president of BaliJewel.

Damien Dernoncourt, president of John Hardy Ltd, told the paper the lawsuit was "baseless" and that "authorized intervention of agents" and police were used to protect the company's copyrighted designs. [cite web|title= Prominent Bali Jewelry Firm Sued in US. - Ref. William J. Furney, managing editor, The Bali Times – Jan 18, 2008|url= http://www.thebalitimes.com/2008/01/18/prominent-bali-jewelry-firm-sued-in-us/|accessdate=2008-05-12]

References

*Fabio Scarpello. [http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2c913216495213d5df646910cba0a0a0/?vgnextoid=5e36d49643b3b110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=teaser&ss=Asia&s=News “Balinese business dream turns into a nightmare - Wrangles over design copyrights have tarnished a thriving jewellery venture.”] . "South China Morning Post. July 20, 2008
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/25/business/media/25adco.html "The Hidden Life of Paper and Its Impact on the Environment"] , New York Times
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/17/magazine/17STYLE.html "Bali High"] , "New York Times Magazine"

External links

* [http://www.johnhardy.com/default.asp John Hardy official site]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/27/business/27flier.html "That 10,000-Mile Commute to the New York Office"] by John Hardy, in "New York Times"
* [http://www.sustainableadvertising.org Sustainableadvertising.org Hardy's reforestation project]