This week, Swiss watch company Movado released its first watch collection made with vegan leather straps. The Alexi X MOVADO collection is part of the company’s Artists’ Series and was made in partnership with world-renowned celebrity photographer, philanthropist, and vegan activist Alexi Lubomirski. A Polish prince, Lubomirski founded Creatives4Change—an international organization that urges fashion industry giants to ditch fur, feathers, exotic skins, and other animal-derived materials—and is best known for being the official photographer of the 2017 royal engagement and wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. 

The new Movado collection features four photographs taken by Lubomirski to portray ideas of light, water, illumination, and city scenes printed on the watch company’s iconic Museum dial. Each watch ($595) comes with a vegan leather strap that is available in three colors: dark grey, yellow, and navy blue. Each watch is packaged in a reusable, vegan pouch and packaging made from recyclable materials—a first for Movado. 

“Learning about Alexi and his vision was the catalyst to include him in the latest Movado Artists’ Series,” Movado Group Chairman and CEO Efraim Grinberg said. “Art comes in many forms and is meant to inspire, make us think, and evolve. I was drawn to Alexi as an artist and specifically by the way he uses his talent and recognition to ignite change in our industry and world—he implements change without judgement. Alexi’s mantra is that small change leads to larger shifts. I felt now was the time for Movado, with its rich Swiss history and pursuit of constantly improving, to offer vegan straps along with packaging made out of recyclable materials. We believe all companies need to do their part as responsible corporate citizens.”

The Movado Group will donate $50 from each watch purchased from the collection to benefit charities of Lubomirski’s choosing, namely humanitarian organization Concern Worldwide and animal-rights group The Humane Society of the United States

“Photography in its essence, is about time, the capturing of time in a kinetic world: time in space, time in movement. The ultimate prize of a photographer is capturing a unique moment that no one else can capture at the same time or in the same way and then, to be able to share that vision with others,” Lubomirski said. “This project is extremely dear to my heart. With the world at a crossroads and the incredible new technological tools readily available we are the first generation to have the immense fortune, but also the obligation to leave this industry and the world, in a better place than we found it. We are taking a first step in this collaboration with Movado by enacting this change on a larger scale, giving the opportunity to Movado’s customers, to join us by choosing a product that is new and forward thinking. I am extremely proud and humbled to have been chosen to accompany them in this journey.” 

Movado and Lubomirski will launch a second collection of vegan watches in the spring of 2021 that will feature a theme described as “four doorways into veganism.”

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