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Centurion Announces Emerging Designers Competition Winners for 2014 | February 05, 2014 (0 comments)
Scottsdale, AZ, February 1, 2014—Babette Shennan, Stanislav Drokin, and Rhyme & Reason were announced tonight as the winners of the Centurion 2014 Emerging Designer Competition, sponsored by Stuller. All three were awarded their U.S. tradeshow debut at the Centurion Jewelry Show, which opened tonight and runs through February 4.
The Centurion Emerging Designer competition, now in its sixth year, drew 90 entries from luxury jewelry designers around the world. The first round of judging was conducted by three industry design experts: celebrity stylist and TV commentator Michael O’Connor; GIA’s global jewelry manufacturing arts director Mark Mann; and Stuller’s executive director of product development, Gary Baines. They were tasked with narrowing down the 90 entries to 12 finalists, and the Centurion Board of Retail Advisors then voted to select the winners. Each of the three winners received a free exhibition space at the Show, and with it the opportunity to meet and mingle among America’s top prestige-level jewelers.
As one of the sponsors of the Future of Design business incubator competition, held in March 2014 by directors Cindy Edelstein and Andrea Hill, Centurion president Howard Hauben awarded one of the Emerging Designer exhibition spaces to Boston, MA-based Rhyme & Reason, the 2014 Future of Design winner. They join Babette Shennan and Stanislav Drokin to comprise the three new designers presented to Show attendees.
Says Centurion president Howard Hauben, “We received a record number of entries this year, and they were all amazing. We’re proud to be able to offer the winners an unparalleled opportunity to meet the top prestige jewelers in the United States, and we’re equally proud to offer our Centurion attendees this level of outstanding global talent as an exclusive first introduction.”
Ashley Brown, Stuller’s executive director of marketing and public relations, says, “Stuller is pleased and proud to sponsor the Centurion Design Competition. We believe innovation and creativity are essential to the future of the jewelry industry, and being able to help showcase new talent like these designers falls right in line with our mission.”
These are the 2014 Centurion Emerging Designers:
Babette Shennan, G.G., San Francisco, CA
The work of jewelry designer Babette Shennan is closely linked to her travels and memories. From Antoni Gaudi’s stained-glass mosaics in Barcelona, Spain, to the corals and deep reds from her mother’s rose garden, to the soft turquoise of the ocean, and the timelessness of the gingko leaf, Babette has weaved these inspirations into a palette of vibrant colors that form the basis of her bespoke jewelry collections.
Babette’s timeless pieces not only reflect her meticulous craftsmanship showcasing the beauty of each stone, but also testify to the quality of her work. During her graduate gemology program at GIA, she won The Silver Trend Project design competition sponsored by HSN. Her winning bracelet was manufactured and sold on air to great success.
More recently, Babette won second place “Best In Show” at the Women’s Jewelry Association’s Designer By The Bay Event in Northern California. She divides her time between San Francisco and New York City.
Left: Babette Shennan’s 18k white and yellow gold convertible “Gingko” earrings, featuring lens cut aquamarines (54.76 ctw), are two earrings in one. Right, Sterling silver and 14k yellow gold, “Gingko” hinged cuff has antiqued silk finish accented with tsavorite garnets (6.8 ctw.).
“In this industry, it is hard to stand out amongst so many amazing designers. Thank you, Centurion, for recognizing my hard work, dedication and love for all things jewelry,” said Shennan. “Winning gives my company the invaluable opportunity to show the top retailers in North America my dedication to design, integrity and the importance of creating a timeless, unique, one of a kind product. “
Stanislav Drokin, Kharkiv, Ukraine
Stanislav Drokin was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine. After school, he was hired as apprentice engraver at an industrial factory, carving stamps for marking technical details. After seven years, he mastered the profession of engraver but during this time also began to study jewelry on his own, and from 1992 to 1994, worked creating master models for jewelry companies.
In 1994 he founded his own jewelry atelier (private company “S.D.”). At the time, his main design focus was on classical style. In 1995, he organized an exhibition titled, "The Magical World of Stone," which to date is one of the traditional exhibitions held in Kharkiv.
In 1998, Stanislav became a member of the Designers Union of Ukraine and an international association, the Society of Designers. That year, he also went for further study in the gemological centers of Kiev, Ukraine; Idar-Oberstein, Germany; and Warsaw, Poland. In Germany, Drokin met world-famous jeweller André Enskat, whose precepts became a turning point in his creative work. Thanks to that meeting, Stanislav rethought his design, and embarked on a path of creative search and experiment. Today, he is the winner of many competitions in Ukraine and Russia, and earned a master’s degree in design in 2011. He also organized another design exhibition, the Ukrainian festival of design "YuvelirArtProm," in Kharkiv Art Museum, in 2004.
Left: Ring of 18k yellow and blackened gold has fire opal center with diamond and sapphire accents. Right: Phoenix earrings in 18k white gold with tourmaline and pink and purple sapphire, by Stanislav Drokin.
“Thank you and the jury for choosing me to be one of the winners in the Centurion Emerging Designer Awards Competition 2014,” said Drokin. “Winning in those competitions is a big event in my life, creative activity and business. In the history of my country this is the first winning of the Ukrainian in international jewelry competitions in America. The Centurion Emerging Designer Awards Competition is a very important incentive in the development of international jewelry business and art.”
Rhyme & Reason, Boston, MA
Rhyme & Reason is the collaboration of the combined efforts of Vahé Ghazarian, Esin Guler, and Mihran Guler. Vahé Ghazarian was immersed in the world of jewelry since age 10 at his family’s jewelry store. He combines business knowledge with his talent and passion to create works of jewelry art. Also a sculptor and painter, Ghazarian transforms precious metals into elaborate, one-of-a-kind and limited edition jewels, and his firm belief that jewelry is meant to be an extension of the body is a core theme in all the company’s designs.
Mihran Guler learned from his father to work persistently to be successful. As an adolescent, his father asked a jeweler friend to take him on as an apprentice in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. Classically trained in the art of diamond setting by numerous masters, Guler became a craftsman at the age of 12. After years of working in Istanbul, he came to the United States to be with his family and share his knowledge. At Rhyme & Reason, he combines classical and contemporary precious gem setting techniques in all kinds of metals.
Esin Guler developed a passion for jewelry watching her brother Mihran work on gem setting, and decided to pursue jewelry design as a career. After completing her training at Academie Istanbul, world-renowned jeweler Sevan Bıçakçı accepted her as his apprentice. Following her apprenticeship, she brought her creative mind, skillful hands, and dream to open her own business to America where, under the tutelage of Vahé Ghazarian, she honed her talents.
The three decided to join forces and formed G&G Creations—recently renamed Rhyme & Reason—and in 2014 were chosen as the winner of the Future of Design business incubator competition sponsored by designer jewelry and business experts Cindy Edelstein and Andrea Hill. As the winner, along with other prizes Rhyme & Reason was awarded one of Centurion’s Emerging Designer exhibition spaces.
Left: Sacred Story bridal group in 18k white gold with diamonds and sapphire. Right, The "Love" family of hearts in oxidized silver with 24k gold inlay, rubies, full-cut white, black and blue diamonds, and yellow and orange sapphires.
"As artists we are incredibly humbled to have been an Emerging Designer at the Centurion Show. This is a very exciting time for us,” said Ghazarian.
"We couldn't be happier about this honor," added design partner Esin Guler of Rhyme & Reason. "Awards like this inspire us and bring us strength as a design team.” Mihran Guler concurred, “This opportunity to be featured as an Emerging Designer is an incredible platform to share who we as designers with the industry."