Supermodel Petra Nemcova the new face of Fortunoff Holiday jewelry collection
(EST)
Updated: 2006-09-12 09:35

Supermodel Petra Nemcova in the new Fortunoff jewelry campaign.

Fortunoff, 84-year-old New York retailer has signed supermodel and humanitarian, Petra Nemcova, as their new face. She is the first personality associated with the brand since Lauren Bacall served as Fortunoff's spokesperson twenty six years ago. Petra, known for her beauty as well as her compassion and charitable endeavors, will serve as the face of Fortunoff's regional advertising campaign and their Fall and Holiday Jewelry catalogs. The latest images of Petra's campaign have recently been unveiled in the windows of Fortunoff's flagship Fifth Avenue location. With this new campaign Fortunoff's desires to appeal to a more youthful and fashionable consumer.

In addition to serving as the face of Fortunoff, Petra will take on the role as designer for the very first time. She collaborated with the jewelry design team to create a new collection called the "Petra for Fortunoff Collection," available this holiday season in all Fortunoff retail locations, as well as online.

"Petra for Fortunoff Collection" incorporates pieces in gold, sterling silver, and pieces with diamonds and gemstones that retail from $125 to $5,000. A portion of proceeds from select items will benefit the Happy Hearts Fund, Petra's personal charity of choice she founded in 2005. The Happy Hearts Fund provides aid to children in need who have suffered loss or hardship as a result of natural, economic or health related disasters.

"For me, jewelry is an easy way to make a personal statement with your look. I feel very blessed to now be a part of the Fortunoff team, and the pieces I designed not only add a glamorous and sexy touch to any outfit, they add a bit of light and hope to your outlook each and every day," explained Petra Nemcova.

Joel Kier, of the Office of the Chairman relayed, "We are very excited to announce Petra as the new face of the Fortunoff brand. Not only is she extraordinarily beautiful but she epitomizes the modern day woman. Her humanitarian efforts are inspiring and we feel she's a perfect choice because of her well-rounded nature."

Another element of this collaboration includes a holiday ornament called "The Petra Heart" that has been exclusively designed for Fortunoff by renowned ornament expert Christopher Radko. The design features the children of the world holding hands around a heart, which exemplifies the mission of the Happy Hearts Fund. The ornament will retail for $46, and will be available in Fortunoff stores and on their website at Fortunoff.com beginning November 1st with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Happy Hearts Fund.

Petra Nemcova is a Czech born model and tsunami survivor. Since her introduction to modeling, Nemcova has worked with some of the industry's most prominent photographers, such as Mario Testino, Gilles Bensimon, Patric Demarchelier. Her sultry looks have been featured in major magazines including Vogue, Vanity Fair, Elle, Harper's Bazaar and has appeared in advertising campaigns for high-profile brands such as La Perla, Clarins, and Max Factor, among others.

In 2005, Petra Nemcova established the Happy Hearts Fund to support children who are the victims of natural, economic and health-related disasters. Her commitment to raising funds for charity has been recognized by numerous organizations including Glamour's "Women of the Year" and Fortunoff's "Women in the Know" event co-sponsored by Vanity Fair.