The excitement in the room when the winners and finalists of the 2024 Design Awards were announced on the evening of June 1, 2024, showcased the strong sense of community that sets COUTURE apart. An introductory video, played to a full house at the Encore Theater in Wynn Las Vegas, featured several designers from around the world, emphasizing the event’s global reach and highlighting the months or even years of work each contender invests in creating their designer jewellery.
“I want to acknowledge all of the hard work, determination and perseverance it took each of our designers to get here tonight,” noted Gannon Brousseau, COUTURE Director and EVP, Emerald when he opened the show. “The submissions this year were absolutely amazing; you have outdone yourselves.” He then went on to thank the panel of judges who selected the finalists and winners, which included Alexandra Lipin from Elysse Walker, Amy Lane from Bergdorf Goodman, jewellery curator and journalist, Archana Thani, Tracey Ellison, The Diamonds Girl and designer Marco Bicego.
The evening’s first award, Best in Bridal, was given to Vanessa Fernandez of Vanessa Fernandez Studio, who made her COUTURE debut this year. “Wow thank you so much, I can’t believe it,” Vanessa enthused. “I just want to say thank you, I’m so grateful to my community, which has grown over the years. This makes all those late nights behind the bench worth it. That piece was made by hand, and I made it four or five times before I got it right so I’m just really grateful, thank you so much!”
While the Editors’ Choice award was decided by the attending media, the People’s Choice was narrowed down to three finalists before the audience voted live from the theater to determine the winner.
Sorellina won the award for Best in Innovative with an 18k gold cassette pendant featuring diamonds encased in white sapphires and accented with a pencil-shaped charm with which to “rewind” or “fast forward” the cassette, “Thank you so much; this piece was really really fun to make,” the designer, Nicole Carosella, said in an emotional speech. “I’m so grateful that I have a team and a sister that when I said, ‘I want to make a cassette tape with diamonds and a pencil that spins it and a button necklace’ they said, ‘go for it!’” She went on to thank her entire team by name, specifically calling out her sister and co-founder, “Kim, you are my rock, my angel and my best friend.”
2024 COUTURE Design Awards
Best in Below $10K
1st: Ashaha
2nd: L’Atelier Nawbar
3rd: CAPOLAVORO
Best in Bridal
1st: Vanessa Fernandez Studio
2nd: Gumuchian
3rd: Jade Trau
Best in Colored Gems Below $40K
1st: RENNA
2nd: ANANYA
3rd: Alexander Laut
Best in Colored Gems Above $40K
1st: TABAYER
2nd: B P De Silva Jewellers
3rd: Chantecler Capri
Best in Diamonds Below $40K
1st: ONDYN
2nd: Roberto Demeglio
3rd: Studio Renn
Best in Diamonds Above $40K
1st: GISMONDI 1754
2nd: Busatti 1947
3rd: YEPREM
Best in Innovative
1st: Sorellina
2nd: Silvia Furmanovich
3rd: S.T. Dupont
Best in Gold
1st: Rainbow K
2nd: Pamela Zamore
3rd: Hargreaves Stockholm
Best in Platinum
1st: Eva Fehren
2nd: Jade Ruzzo
3rd: Walters Faith
Best in Haute Couture
1st: Sevan Bicakci
2nd: Cicada
3rd: Francesca Villa
Best in Pearls
1st: AUTORE PEARLS
2nd: ARUNASHI
3rd: Leigh Maxwell Jewelry
Best in Debuting
1st: Francesca Villa
2nd: Roberto Demeglio
3rd: JOYWITH JEWELRY
People’s Choice
1st: Richard Wu
2nd: Chentecler Capri
3rd: Rosmundo
Editors’ Choice
1st: Silvia Furmanovich
2nd: Luvor
2nd: Rouvenat
Related articles on COUTURE:
https://gem-spectrum.com/tag/couture
Related articles on trade shows by Emerald Holding, Inc.
https://gem-spectrum.com/tag/emerald-holding
This article was published on Gem Spectrum print magazine issue #1, Page 34. Browse the flipbook here:
