GJEPC Announces The Artisan Awards 2022 Theme – The Collectors

Carrying forward the thrust towards classic jewellery design, The Artisan Awards declares ‘The Collectors’ as its latest theme, as personified by three original trendsetters: Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Hutton and Wallis Simpson.

The Artisan Awards is an initiative spearheaded by the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India (GJEPC), to provide a platform for jewellery designers and professionals from other creative fields to showcase their talent.

The theme-based annual design contest has generated some never-seen-before, one-of-a-kind jewels that underscore the level of innovation the jewellery industry is capable of.

The prestigious Artisan Awards attracts entries not just from India, but from all parts of the world – thus establishing its leadership position in the jewellery industry.

The Theme – The Collectors

This season The Artisan focuses on three iconic women – Elizabeth Taylor, Barbara Hutton and Wallis Simpson – who had individual styles, a punch-you-in-the-face attitude, led tumultuous lives, and, most importantly, had an insatiable hunger for collecting signature jewels that defined and enhanced their persona.

Each of the pieces had a special narrative and eventually gained the tag of a heritage piece. The jewellery they wore created a lot of buzz when it went under the hammer, enabling their legacy to live on.

This time the challenge for participants lies in fabricating a jewellery piece that would complement their personality. The contestants could visualise the three ladies in their prime, and design a piece of jewellery that could have been best suited to their aesthetic, attitude, and dress sense.

Colin Shah, Chairman, GJEPC, remarked, “Today, we live in a global village and with the world coming together and getting more inclusive in terms of fashion and aesthetics, the theme of The Artisan Awards 2022 reflects universality. We want to take The Artisan to an altogether new level. I am confident that this year’s theme will entice many creative minds.”

Milan Chokshi, Convener, Promotions & Marketing, GJEPC, elaborated: “Jewellery is a form of self-expression and how one carries oneself. The three iconic women chosen as sub-themes were known for their distinctive style. The theme is challenging as the pieces have to be singular and the designer must envision and create a piece that will befit the icon of his/her choice.”

Sub-theme 1: Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor’s mesmerising beauty, her mastery over her acting craft, her penchant for marriage … and of course, her insatiable appetite for amassing an array of bejewelled and ornate pieces … that in a nutshell characterised Liz Taylor.

“I feel as though I’m only the custodian of my jewellery,” she remarked in her book Elizabeth Taylor: My Love Affair With Jewelry. “When I die and they go off to auction, I hope whoever buys them gives them a really good home.”

Keywords for adorning this icon are – Glamour, red-carpet, larger-than-life, bold, colourful.

Sub-theme 2- Barbara Hutton

Woolworth heiress Barbara Hutton was the “Kim Kardashian” of the 1930s. Stylish and elegant, she was a famous jet-setting socialite of the 20th century with a jewellery collection that matched up to her glamorous lifestyle. Her love for diamonds was legendary, and the jewels that she wore were fit for royalty. In fact, the jewellery she acquired from Cartier once belonged to a Russian Duchess, The Duchess Vladimir.

Key words for this icon – sophistication, opulence, rarity, globetrotting, lavish.

Sub theme 3 – Wallis Simpson 

Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor believed in wearing expensive jewels. Using fashion as a shield to cover up her insecure feeling about her looks — she believed she was “not a beautiful woman” — she developed a trailblazing style that came to be associated with her.

One of her famous pieces is a 19-karat emerald and diamond ring which she wore in 1936 during her secret engagement with The Duke of Windsor, who abdicated his throne in order to marry the divorced Wallis. The inscription on the ring was “We Are Ours Now.”

Key words for this icon: sharp, witty, ahead-of-time, individualistic, impeccable.

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