Elsa Peretti, OMRI OMM (1 May 1940 – 18 March 2021), was an Italian jewelry designer and philanthropist as well as a fashion model.

"[3] As a philanthropist, Peretti supported a wide variety of causes, and also privately undertook the restoration of the historic village of Sant Martí Vell in Catalonia, Spain.

[8] She initially made her living teaching French and working as a ski instructor in the German-speaking Swiss mountain village of Gstaad.

[11] During the late 1970s Peretti was a frequent regular of Studio 54, alongside designer Halston, Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli,[5] Bianca Jagger, Cher, and Donald and Ivana Trump.

[12] In 2019, she was interviewed in the documentary Halston (CNN films), recalling her years of working, partying, and friendship with the designer.

Her first design, working with a silversmith in Spain, was a two-inch bud vase made of sterling-silver as a pendant on a leather thong necklace, that was inspired by a find at a flea market.

[5] Minnelli recalled encountering Peretti's work after Halston advised her to try wearing silver: " ‘My god,' I thought...All I could think of was Albuquerque.

The introduction of silver revised the category of fine jewelry and, comparatively more affordable, became something women began increasingly buying for themselves as opposed to traditionally receiving as a gift.

[6] Her process included travel to Japan, China, and Europe and drew on the work of craftsmen there in the creation of successful collections such as Bean (an abstracted lima bean-shaped pendant), Open Heart, Mesh, Bone, and Zodiac.

[7] Pieces like Bone Cuff (1970) incorporated organic forms with appreciation of the human body, and were seen as bridging a gap between costume and serious jewelry.

[18] Her creations were expansive (besides silverware, which included a silver pizza cutter, she also designed pens, ashtrays, a gold mesh bra, and perfume bottles for Halston), but the jewelry line remained the center of her work.

[24] Originally Peretti described a hope for building an artist colony, but the town became "her own private village", wrote The New York Times.

The work done included the excavation of archaeological remains of a Roman settlement and the refinishing of a sepulchral tomb, as well as the restoration of existing elements and the provision of new ones.

She encouraged people such as guitarist Michael Laucke and painter-sculptor Robert Llimós to make use of San Marti Vell.

"[30] The NaEPF solicits proposals internationally, especially on behalf of unrepresented minorities, to defend their right to exist and preserve their culture.