If you haven’t heard of South African soprano Pretty Yende yet, remember that name. It’s predicted that the singer’s popularity is about to explode after performing at the Coronation of King Charles III today (Saturday 6 May).
While the weather in London may be grey and drizzly, Pretty Yende is serving us nothing but sunshine with an exquisite Stéphane Rolland Haute Couture gown for her performance at Westminster Abbey, worn with some showstopping jewels fit for royalty.
The gown itself is also a work of art. 180 hours of work – along with the talents of three master seamstresses – went into crafting the spectacular dress, made of eight meters of crepe drape, and five meters of gazar and organza for the sculpture.
The soprano dazzled in a sensational diamond high jewellery set from Graff, who is a British-born jewellery brand and maker of the most ornate jewels in the world.
What over 160 carats of diamonds actually looks like
(Image credit: Graff )
Pretty Yende chose a Graff yellow and white diamond necklace for her performance, featuring over 138 carats of diamonds, alongside yellow and white diamond earrings (another impressive 35 carats).
Graff was founded by Laurence Graff OBE in 1960 in the UK and today has a network of over 60 boutiques globally.
Francois Graff, Chief Executive Officer at Graff, said of Pretty’s appearance in the jewels: “Graff is renowned for the best, rarest and most fabulous diamonds.
“We know that the stones we cut and polish today are destined to be the legendary jewels of the future – a sentiment exemplified by the high jewellery set worn by Pretty.
Early sketches for Pretty Yende’s Stéphane Rolland gown
(Image credit: Stéphane Rolland)
“We are honoured to have played a part in this auspicious occasion that will be watched by the world and remembered forever.”
Anne-Eva Geffroy, Design Director at Graff, also commented on the significance of the yellow jewels Pretty is wearing for the big day.
“Yellow diamonds have been synonymous with Graff since the very beginning, and we continue to celebrate their rich intensity and brilliance within our designs,” she explains.
“The secret to crafting truly exceptional jewellery is understanding the interplay between beautiful stones and the incredible women who wear them. Every Graff jewel is a work of art, crafted to flow around the contours of the body and to dance with light.”
Pretty will help kick off what is set to be a monumental day in British history, where an array of performers will come to together to mark the Coronation of King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort.
Pretty previously said of the performance (via Reuters), “I’m too excited to be nervous.
“It’s an incredible time of my life as a young girl, as a South African, as an artist, only joy floods my heart.”