LA DiOSA
LA DiOSA is a London-based jewellery design company that seeks to empower women, by designing signature statement jewellery, featuring colourful chunky gemstones in celebration of modern Goddesses everywhere. LA DiOSA was founded in 2007 by Ugandan-born Natasha Faith, and Semhal Zemikael born to Ethiopian/Eritrean parents; friends who first met whilst studying Philosophy, and now create their gorgeous designs from a showroom in Hatton Garden, London’s famed jewellery quarter. A combined interest in fashion, led the duo to exploring the idea of creating and selling their own jewellery. The name' La Diosa', means 'Goddess' in Spanish and as the name of their company pays homage to the influences and place where it all began; Mexico.   

Prior to starting the company the duo travelled the world for a year, visiting and drawing inspiration from far-flung places such as Thailand, Singapore, Tokyo and Malaysia; but it was a six-month stay in Mexico that Natasha and Semhal learnt their trade, spending time with a group of local women who taught them invaluable jewellery-making skills. Upon their return to the UK; and with help and advice from the Prince’s Trust, launched their multi award-winning label. 

LA DiOSA’s handcrafted designs are made with rare and unusual gemstones, and precious metals, taking care to source the materials ethically.  

Taher Chemirik
Fluid, sculptural pieces formed out of shimmering gold and silver metals are defining characteristics of Algerian designer, Taher Chemirik’s striking jewellery pieces, which include bold, oversized cuffs and giant links that form statement chokers. Hailing from a family of designers, Taher describes his upbringing as ‘unconventional’, and cites his sources of inspiration as being his African roots, Oriental sophistication, modern art, and the antiques he collects in Paris’ famed flea markets; the city he now calls home.

After studying architecture in Algeria, Taher left his home country for Paris where he studied Fine Art. Upon graduation the Designer worked for the Opera de Paris designing costumes and accessories. A desire to learn more about jewellery making saw Taher leave the comfort of another respected design job to become an apprentice at a traditional Parisian jewellery atelier, where he learnt many secrets of the highly-skilled trade. Following his apprenticeship Taher’s work was noticed by Karl Largerfeld, who invited him to collaborate on a project, marking the first of many such collaborations with leading international designers. Handcrafted by Taher himself, every piece produced is stamped with a signature mark to ensure authenticity, and is crafted using precious metals: gold, sterling silver and platinum; and materials such as ebony wood, which are all then set with Tahitian pearls, and gemstones including tourmalines, rubies, emeralds, quartz and chalcedony in an array of vivid colours, with a sprinkling of diamonds added for extra sophistication.

In addition to his own eponymous brand, Taher also designs jewellery, accessories and silverware collections for Parisian Maisons. Taher’s jewellery is also part of the permanent collection at the Musee National des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, and in 2007 the designer was honoured with a listing in Time magazine’s ‘The Design 100’. In another nod to his architectural training Taher Chemirik has recently designed an elegant range of interior furniture, which echoes his sculptural jewellery designs in form and structure and includes a brass screen, and a coffee table made from brass, and topped with sardonyx hard stone.

Azza Fahmy
7000 years of Egyptian culture and tradition embodies the luxury jewellery collections of Egyptian jeweller, Azza Fahmy, whose elegant, statement designs you cannot help but visualise adorning the necks and wrists of Cleopatra and Nefertiti. Like the legendary ancient culture that influences it, Azza Fahmy jewellery is elegant and regal, featuring handcrafted intricate detailing in gold and silver precious metals, and vibrant, shimmering gemstones, that help lend a contemporary edge.

Azza Fahmy began her jewellery career forty years ago when a book on 'classical jewellery during Europe's Middle Ages' compelled her to learn more about jewellery making. Turning away from a career in interior design and further formal studies, Azza chose instead to learn her craft amidst the passageways of Khan El Khalili in Cairo, becoming an apprentice to one of Egypt's most highly skilled master craftsman. This was during the seventies, and in pursuing an apprenticeship; Azza was challenging some of the cultural and socially acceptable expectations of the time. After two years of hands-on training, Azza went on to study more of the theoretical side of jewellery making in London, courtesy of a British Council fellowship, returning to Cairo in the early eighties where she set up her eponymous workshop, Azza Fahmy, assisted by two workers. 

Azza is inspired by traditional Egyptian jewellery, and during the early years of her workshop began to explore the culture and history of Islamic design, combining her findings with a love of architecture seen in sleek sculptural forms, resulting in a distinctive signature style that has awarded Azza an international reputation as the leading jewellery designer in North Africa and the Middle Eastern region. Poetry is another of Azza's passions, and led to the sought-after Azza Fahmy signature 'Culture Collection', which sees meaningful and inspirational verses traditional poems, rendered in elegant calligraphy and inscribed into bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and key chains.  

The connection between culture and the designs produced at Azza Fahmy is very much at the heart of the business, and has seen Azza become a cultural ambassador for country, earning Azza the title; 'First lady of cultural jewellery'. This role has seen Azza travel extensively, sharing her insight and creations in more than two hundred international exhibitions. To day Azza Fahmy, employs over 170 people in roles that include handcrafting, designing and marketing.

...jewellery fit for a queen

Thuthuka
In September I visited International Jewellery London to see what was happening in the world of jewellery. It was dazzling to say the least with a range of businesses from precious gem dealers to independent emerging designers. Several countries had trade exhibition stands showcasing the designs and opportunities with their various sectors, and stopping by the South African pavilion, I got chatting with several of the individual designers and business representatives. Amongst them was Thuthuka, a jewellery development programme that was founded in 2009, and is an initiative of South African based organisation Jewellery Africa. Thuthuka works with young emerging jewellery designers from community jewellery schools and tertiary institutions, and focuses on promoting contemporary South African design, by encouraging individuality and craftsmanship amongst their students. Products produced include jewellery and tableware, all hand made in limited editions, some of which were on display at International Jewellery London in the form of exquisite statement necklaces and beautifully crafted spoons, which would make lovely keepsake gifts.

Thuthuka, meaning to grow and develop in isiZulu, equips students with the necessary skills in areas such as sales and marketing, to help towards gaining employment or creating their own businesses and generating sustainable incomes. Thuthuka holds an annual competition; which is open to all participants in community jewellery groups and tertiary institutions.

Maya Antoun
Fluid, sculptural forms interlaced with segments of fine filigree work defines the stunning jewellery creations by Sudanese designer Maya Antoun. Based in the UK, Maya seeks to combine traditional with contemporary to create a new vision for African jewellery, and indeed the wider context of her work, which is influenced by the diversity of cultures, reflected in her own culturally diverse upbringing and exploring the ways in which individuals from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds might interpret their traditional jewellery, and in the process creating something new, fresh and exciting.

Drawn to traditional techniques like filigree, a craft that is slowly disappearing, Maya's work has led to collaborations with master filigree artisans in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo and in doing so Maya hopes to pave the way for further collaborations between design and craft practitioners, and open up viable markets for the jewellery and skills across Africa and beyond. In the UK, Maya also collaborates with fashion designer Omer Asim, a fellow Sudanese, in a partnership that sees Maya's work beautifully complementing Omer's sculptural design aesthetic. Maya was also awarded Accessories Designer of the Year 2011 at the Africa Fashion International Awards.

Additional details:
For further information about Maya Antoun and purchase enquiries visit: http://mayantoun.com 

Savannah Chic
We may be entering Autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere, but you can still hold onto the summer feeling with Savannah Chic's range of contemporary jewellery, including some vibrant bracelets from the company's 'Summer Love' collection, which sees colourful Kikoy's woven into necklaces and bracelets that conjure up the carefree spirit of Summer.

Predominately handmade in partnership with carefully selected artisans and workshops in Kenya, Savannah Chic's jewellery collections are contemporary and colourful; ranging from bold brights and fresh delicate pastels to the warm earth tones of nature incorporated in elegantly shaped horn pieces that are inlaid with thin brass strips, updating a classic style; coloured recycled glass that is interspersed with handmade brass charms for feminine charm; whilst playful ceramic beads add a pop of colour to brass bangles and rings. Bringing together the past and the present, rare beads such as Don Don Sole are used, as well as the ancient art of lost wax casting to make brass pendants; and wooden medallions featuring intricate patterns pay homage to cultures gone by.

Based in Kenya and Switzerland, Savannah Chic was founded in 2009 by Charu and Shruti Patel, a mother and daughter team, who joined forces to create a company that would help bring about positive and sustainable change in their native Kenya. Shruti had spent eight years working in international development, and although she found working to make a difference fulfilling, she acknowledges that she rarely saw the difference that was being made on the ground. Savannah Chic was founded on the principles of fair trade, adhering to the ten standards for fair trade organistions that were set out by the World Fair Trade Organistion (WFTO), these include transparency and accountability; payment of a a fair price; safe and healthy working conditions; creating opportunities; and better environmental practices. As part of their efforts, Savannah Chic also provides mentoring schemes for the artists and groups they work with.

Heart 365 Emporium
A string of approximately 365 crystal beads and a silver clasp in the shape of heart jewellery inspired the name for Tanzanian jewellery designer Jacqueline Kibacha's handcrafted fashion jewellery and accessories label. Based in London, Heart 365 Emporium incorporates traditional Maasai beading with the drama of bold designs, colours, and layered textures.

Proud of her Tanzanian heritage; Heart 365 Emporium is a celebration of cultures and traditions that go beyond borders and pays homage to handmade jewellery, traditional craftsmanship and the art of adornment. During a trip to Tanzania, Jacqueline spent time with Maasai bead workers sharing stories, making jewellery and learning more about the history and significance of the traditional beading she remembered from her childhood. Creating wearable pieces of art has helped Jacqueline connect with the semi nomadic Maasai people of Tanzania; experiences that are combined with the influences of having grown up in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

The debut collection, 'Uhuru's Wings: Freedom to Fly', was inspired by Tanzania reaching the milestone of 50 years of independence - Uhuru is the Swahili word for freedom - and led Jacqueline to explore the meaning of freedom and what it means to people and societies, and how this concept could be translated into her work and into a thing of beauty. Paying homage to what calls Maasai Couture, Heart 365 Emporium reflects a culture of beading where Maasai women skilfully handcraft jewellery and other distinctive forms of adornment that have a specific meaning for the wearer, conveying messages through the use of certain colours and layers. An age-old craft, over time the pieces created began to feature different layers; at first made with locally found materials such as seeds; as brightly coloured European glass beads became increasingly available and popular meant the addition of another layer as they were later incorporated; and now Heart 365 Emporium adds its own complementary layer of crystals, semi precious stones and vintage pieces.

The statement pieces of the collection are Uhuru's Wings; crystal encrusted ceremonial style collars from which luxuriously dark silky feathers fan out.

Jewels of the Kalahari by One Fine Thread
Handmade by the San of the Kalahari, Jewels of the Kalahari is a collection of jewellery by made using the delicate natural shards of ostrich eggshells, which are combined with other materials like recycled glass.

Upholding craftsmanship and ancient skills, Jewels of the Kalahari was produced by One Fine Thread; a business that was founded by designer Anna Haber as a platform to highlight the rich culture and unique designs found in global arts and craft traditions.

Anna collaborated with craftswomen from the town of Ghanzi in Botswana and jeweller Sabine Roemer to create long draping strands and twisted ropes that belie the fragility of the eggshell shards. The designs are organic, emerging from a design and creation process saw the experimentation of new materials like ribbons combined with artistic tradition and heritage. Alongside the natural cream colour of the eggshells are brown and black colours that come from frying the eggshells. The campaign for the Jewels of the Kalahari collection is fronted by a local San girl.

Trollbeads/Malawi Universal Uniques
Giving their customers the freedom to customise their jewellery as they please, Danish brand Trollbeads is known for its interchangeable beads and charms that come in an array of gemstones, 18ct gold, sterling silver, fresh water pearls and glass in an ever-evolving collection. Trollbeads currently has 600 unique styles, and each bead created has its own look and a story behind it inspired by anything from fairy tales to familiar everyday things. The company was founded in 1976 by Lise Aagaard, when her brother Soren, a silversmith, came up with the first Trollbead having created a bead with six faces that earned it the name Troll and as customers started to request that more beads be added to their bracelets and other jewellery pieces, the name was given to the business. A family run business, up until 2000 beads were designed by the family who made the decision to invite leading jewellery designers to create collections as a way of helping to diversify the collections, and as the collection grew in popularity new locks were added to the designs to allow customers to remove and add the beads themselves. Each individually handmade, glass beads were introduced into the collection in 2002 adding a new look and feel to the brand. 

2010 saw the establishment of the Trollbeads Malawi Workshop which came about when Lise brought together a group of young creative artists and taught them the skill of glass bead making over an open flame, creating the glass beads seen in the Trollbeads Uniques and Universal Uniques collections, which are a range of colourful glass beads using patterns inspired by daily life; from a woman's colourful dress to fruits piled in the market to flora and fauna. Based on a similar project that was set up in India, financial backing was provided to help the business get started, in addition to offering training in running a successful jewellery business that covered areas such as; supply chain, marketing, sales, production and designing. The workshop now employs about 12 people and is moving towards becoming an independent self-sufficient entity. 

The beads made in the Trollbeads Malawi Workshop are designed to fit most leading brands so you can really mix up the beads to create your own look.

Carolyn Roumeguere
Jewellery designer Carolyn Roumeguere is a nomad at heart, a sentiment that is reflected in her eclectic jewellery creations such as the Swahili Choker, a stunning piece that is handmade using the precious gems diamond, sapphire or emerald, and coral. Taking a month to complete the Swahili Choker incorporates traditional Maasai beading, and features an enamel pendant and the beads sourced from Jaipur, India.

Having grown up in Kenya amongst the Maasai, Carolyn's upbringing was unconventional to say the least; her mother, a social anthropologist was married to a Maasai Warrior and Carolyn learnt her craft from the Maasai women and young girls who influenced her sense of colour, shape and design and instilled in her a passion for beads and adornment, all under the protective shade of an acacia tree. Often travelling to remote destinations, Carolyn is inspired by different cultures and began creating jewellery by recycling materials that she gathered from around the world. Today Carolyn creates new pieces, working with artisans in three continents using the methods of age old skills, such intricately carved bone and horn from East Africa, enamelling from Mexico and traditional Kundan method from Jaipur. Other materials used in her creations include copper, bronze, gold and cow horn which are combined with precious gems to dramatic effect. 

Inspired by culture and a sense of community, Carolyn supports several charities donating a portion of her sales. The collection for CoutureLab was handmade in Kenya, where Carolyn has a home within a Maasai community and works with the local women. Whether intricately detailed or a simple smooth carving, Carolyn's collections can be likened to found treasures, those picked up on travels, and laden with meaning for the owner.

..bohemian chic with a story to tell