Cassandra Goad's window display provides a glimpse into the underwater world of Mexico's incredible coral reefs, which formed inspiration for Cassandra's latest 'Ola Mexicana' jewellery collection. Swimming in and out of these exquisite reefs whilst scuba diving off Cozumel, it was under the sea, immersed in this unparalleled world, where Cassandra envisioned many of the designs for her latest jewels.
Here, submerged in the beautiful waters and exploring these natural wonders, Cassandra rediscovered her love for the water and the extraordinary creatures that inhabit it. From the blossoming streets of Chelsea to the depths of Mexico's remarkable coral reef - standing in front of the Cassandra Goad window allows you to behold the spectacle of these natural phenomenon's for yourself.
Envision the myriad colours, clear warm waters and aquatic life as you take in Cassandra's under-the-sea decoration, created from one of Cassandra's very own underwater photographs. Stand beneath the orange fish swimming through the display, with their anemone eyes and bright orange floral clusters of scales, embodying the magical quality of coral. Peep through the glass porthole and discover a sandy seabed, bejewelled with her latest designs. This is a truly immersive display that celebrates the diversity of these extraordinary ecosystems. While scuba-diving, Cassandra discovered a giant turtle quietly feeding on the bottom of the sea. So too, can visitors discover diamond set star fish, golden cockle and cowrie shell earrings, silver fire coral, golden octopus treasures, and diamond encrusted turtles, transposed into various decorated pendants, earrings and rings.
Cassandra, with florist Tracey Elson has elevated this underwater store front with an entirely sustainable floral display. From the raft made with pear tree branches, to the real reindeer moss from Scotland, to the twine keeping everything perfectly in balance, each and every material and flower, all of which are real, is sustainable. Why fly flowers across our oceans when beautiful flowers can be found nearer to home?
Tracey has consciously reduced the carbon footprint of this display and has not used any oasis or plastics, avoiding any material that has a damaging impact on the environment. As Plastic Oceans UK (Chelsea in Bloom's charity partners) have revealed, more than 8 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean every year, and abusing our oceans in this way is destroying its vital ecosystems. To illustrate this, there is the shocking reality that half of the coral in the great barrier reef has died since 2016. Raising awareness and funds for Plastic Oceans UK, while promoting the importance of conserving and protecting our oceans, simply is an issue we can no longer ignore. Chelsea in Bloom provides a platform to celebrate the outstanding beauty of nature, but this celebration would all be futile without promoting conservation, the urgency of living and acting sustainably, and the importance of preserving our natural wonders. Cassandra's window reminds us, therefore, of our responsibility to nature. It realises the fragile balance of the underwater world, which lies in the hands of us all.
