GABARONE, BOTSWANA, July 29, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian jewellery design students are competing for the first time in the De Beers Group Designers Initiative – Shining Light Awards and will be well represented at the prestigious awards Gala this fall in Botswana.
Since its inception, the De Beers Group Designers Initiative – Shining Light Awards has attracted great interest from young jewellery designers from Botswana, Namibia and South Africa who have put their best foot forward to enhance their craft in jewellery design. It was first launched in South Africa in 1996 and subsequently in Botswana and Namibia in 2008. Designed to propel the growth of jewellery design in De Beers Group producing countries, the initiative was expanded to Canada in 2018/2019, generating more than 100 entries from the four participating countries.
Canadian students accounted for the second highest amount of entries submitted to this year’s competition.
“This competition has evolved over the years and to be able to see Canadian design students participate with such interest and high numbers is a testament to the excellent programs being offered at the college and university level here in Canada,” said Tom Ormsby of De Beers Group Managed Operations in Canada. “The work the students are submitting is approaching commercial quality and getting the attention of the judges and the jewellery and fashion industry. We look forward to the announcement of the winning designs.”
Students currently enrolled in or recent graduates of recognized jewellery design programs at colleges and universities in Canada were encouraged to submit their designs for this year’s theme “Heroines & Heritage”. Experts in fashion and jewellery from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Italy converged over two days in Gaborone, Botswana, to review designs from talent across all four participating countries. The panel of judges included International Judge Professor Alba Cappellieri, Professor of Design of Jewellery and Fashion Accessories at the Politecnico di Milano (POLI.design), who said the Canadian students were up to the task for their first time in the competition.
"I was very impressed by the variety of applications received; some countries expressed an arts and crafts approach while for others there has been a scientific approach. I appreciated the Canadian consideration for manufacturing, which was an important aspect requested by the competition guidelines and which they developed very well," said Professor Alba Cappellieri.
The judges selected one winning design and two runners-up per country, which will be announced at the Shining Light Awards Ceremony to be held in Gaborone, Botswana in November 2019. Three winners are selected from each country and awarded the following prizes at various internationally recognized jewellery design institutions:
- First prize : 1 year scholarship at Politecnico di Milano (POLI.design) in Milan, Italy
- Second prize: 3 month internship with Forevermark in Milan, Italy
- Third prize: 1 year scholarship at Akapo Jewellers, South Africa
The three finalists from Canada will be flown to the event for the announcement. They will also have the opportunity to visit the De Beers Diamond Trading global sorting and sales facility in Gaborone, along with other events being planned for the students.