The World Academy Of Design’s first 25 fledgling designers are ready to disrupt the jewellery sector

The World Academy Of Design awarded certificates to its first 25 graduates in jewellery designing —men and women from all walks of life who aim to amalgamate their passion into a sparkling profession.

When passion meets creativity, the possibilities are endless. The World Academy Of Design, UAE, seems to be imbibing this as it trains an arsenal of creative minds to reach its pinnacle, and give shape to wonderful creations in the form of jewellery. On Saturday, the academy presented course completion certificates to 25 of its brightest designers who completed Level 1 and Level 2 of the course.

Under the expert Tutelage of Tarun Jain, the managing director of Arab Design World at the institute, and Mahima Verma, the CEO and training head, budding designers completed training in the first level, which taught them to shape and mould plain metals like different kinds of gold, and the second, where they were honed in using gemstones like rubies and emeralds.

What may strike to an outsider as just another award and certificate giveaway, was a panoramic view into the talent that the Middle East nurtures in its young minds. These budding designers come from all walks of life, have navigated a trillion hurdles to pursue their passion, sailed through difficult waters of technology and time management to emerge victorious in their pursuit of their talent. When we talk about all walks of life, we mean it. While one of the certificate holders happens to be a doctor and frontline worker, who armed herself with the scalpel and stethoscopeto fight the pandemic in the day, and a computer in the evening to pursue her passion for jewellery designing, another is a banker, who juggles his passion and profession like an expert showman. One deals with the pressure of family life, with a baby in tow, while another is a student who burns the midnight oil and sends in her creations in the wee hours of the morning.

We are talking about the next troop of designers who are preparing themselves to take the jewellery sector by storm. It was their creativity and unbridled imagination that really brought their best foot forward. The laurels for Level 1 were handed to Reema Alosaimi, Badriah Mohsen Alharbi, Asma Alhamid, WafaaAlantali, AnoofJoharji, Nadiyah Al Ghamdi, SamaherAljefri, WafaaAlSulaim, HalaBedirij, ThanaaAlnusairi, RafanMaslamani, FatenAlamri, AreejBinqadim, Maryam Almaazimi, ShahaAlagil, RaedAlzouebi, Stephany Imakhlaf, FatemahAlbattal, Noura Bin Saidan, Dr Abeer Awadh, Basmah Saeed, Hussau Al-Abed, Afnan Almuqbil, EatzazAldosry, AlbandriAlkhamiss, ShurooqAlteneiji, Nour Alalawi and FatemahAlrashidi.

Among them, it was AnoofJoharji, Asma Alhamid, Badriah Mohsen, Mariam Almaazimi, Nadiyah Al Ghamdi, ThanaaAlnusairi and WafaaAlantali, who took up the heavy coursework of Level 2 and emerged victorious.

These serious jewellery makers are like nimble pixies, working their way into the intricacies of jewellery design. Their dreams have taken flight to their destination — a future as a designer in the evolving sector of gem and jewellery. In sync with the time of joining the institute, the learners were divided into five batches — Ruby, Emerald, Tanzanite, Aquamarine and Sapphire. Language was probably their tallest hurdle, the medium of instruction being English and most of them being from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and the likes. But they persevered, and helped one another throughout the process, to emerge with flying colours at the end of the day.

“We have had very passionate students. Many of these designers have alternate professions —they are doctors, engineers and bankers who are coming into jewellery design. We are very glad to have been able to contribute to their journey. We promise every student that we are here to instruct you till the very end, and we will not let you go until you reach your goal. These certificate holders have created such brilliant pieces only with basic metals. We an only imagine what beauties they will cave after they complete all three levels of training,” said Jain.

Other dignitaries, who form the support base for the World Academy of Design, also came up with words of encouragement to this young troop.

“I congratulate all the designers and convey to them, my message of appreciation for what they are doing now, and for what they will hopefully accomplish in the future,” said Dr Gaetano Cavaliri, president of CIBJO, the International Confederation of Jewellery.

“I am confidentthat their competencies that mix creativity and technology will provide the with the right skill-set to be successful in the jewellery world. I am honoured to be part of the World Academy Of Design community and hope to see all these bright starts in one of our jewellery shows in Italy and in Dubai,” said Marco Carniello, the group brand director of jewellery and fashion at Italian Exhibition Group SPA.

“Felicitations to all thegraduates of the World Academy of Design. Each of you has done amazing work and will make people happy. Continue to shine and believe in yourselves and what you do. Sharing your talent and creativity trough your designs will bring you many blessings,” said Ann Ong, a creative designer from New York and Philippines.

The vice-chairman of the Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group, Chandu Siroya, was present at the ceremony too. “I feel really motivated by these designs and these amazing people. When people from different walks of life start creating jewellery, I can say that the future of the industry looks brighter,” he said.

Nezar J Mukhtar, ajewellery expert from Saudi Arabia, who has been a patron for the World AcademyOf Design since its inception. He is also the honorary ambassador of Saudi Arabia and the first expert from the country in the field of jewellery trade and industry, an experienced gemmologist and consultant. “what I have seen today is astonishing and brilliant to say the least. The Academy in putting in a lot of hard work. It is very important to acknowledge the achievement of our designers, but also the value of shedding light on the implementation of technology in jewellery design. It is an essential skill in the stream. I have no doubt that the potential and capability of the designers and they will shine in their future. I encourage each of them to complete the full course and work hard.”

Betty Gikonyo, the national patron of Association for Women in Extractives and Energy in Kenya also congratulated the designers and wished them luck for the future. In the end, Dr BBL Madhukar, the director-general of the BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industries applauded the efforts of the academy and the designers, who are the future of the jewellery sector. “This is a historic event and I am proud to be a part of it. I wish all the designers the very best for the future and hope they bring laurels to the industry,” he said.

Jain encouraged the certificate holders to learn the nitty-gritty of jewellery designing and then go for an internship to learn the ropes of the industry. It is, he said, also the best way to get feedback and improve on their creativity. In the end, it was the sound of applause that carved out a virtual archway for these passionate creators to go out there and spread happy colours through their exquisite pieces.

Courtesy: Retail Jeweller World News Service