Elsa Peretti, the famous designer of Tiffany & Co., has passed away

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According to a statement from the company, Elsa Peretti, the famous jewelry designer for Tiffany & Co., has passed away. She was 80 years old.

Peretti died in Spain on Thursday March 18, according to a statement from her foundation.

“Elsa was not just a designer, but also a way of life,” said the statement from Tiffany & Co., who described her as a “bigger than life” person who “touched everyone at Tiffany & Co.”

Elsa Peretti

Elsa Peretti can be seen in New York on December 10, 2009. Credit: Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

“Elsa, a master craftsman, was responsible for a revolution in the world of jewelry design. Her collections of organic, sensual shapes have inspired generations,” the statement said. “Elsa’s relationship with style and the natural world was very personal and was strongly reflected in her creations. Over the past nearly 50 years, Elsa has created some of the most innovative jewelry and object designs in the world.”

Peretti was born in Florence, Italy, according to Vogue. In 1964 she started modeling in Spain and later moved to New York where she met fashion designer Halston, with whom she worked and who introduced her to the leadership of Tiffany & Co. She joined the company in 1974. Vogue reported that Peretti’s designs ultimately accounted for about 10% of Tiffany & Co.’s sales.
Elsa Peretti jewelry circa 1970 in New York.

Elsa Peretti can be seen in New York in 1970. Credit: PL Gould / Images Press / Getty Images

Peretti was also the president and founder of the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, the company said, which supported projects in the fields of human rights, environmental conservation and arts and cultural preservation. She believed, Tiffany & Co. said, that protecting the planet was “a duty of all humanity.”

“We could do so much better,” she said. “I’m trying to do something good.”

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