(PRESS RELEASE) LAS VEGAS — The COUTURE Design Awards event was a celebration of passion and creativity. All of the pieces selected as finalists and winners in each of the 15 categories were chosen for their superior craftsmanship and elevated design. The panel of judges, which included Amy Lane from Bergdorf Goodman, Liza Urla of Gemologue, journalist Tanya Dukes, Tayloe Piggott from Tayloe Piggott Gallery, and artist Todd Reed, deliberated for hours before finalizing their choices, bringing a level of thoughtfulness and gravitas to the decision-making process.
“We are here to celebrate the incredible designs of this amazing community,” noted COUTURE Show Director and SVP of Emerald Expositions, Gannon Brousseau, from the stage. “Whether we’re in the Encore Ballroom, or back in the Encore Theater, nothing could dim the bright lights shining here tonight!”
Capturing the spirit of the community was Jade Lustig of Jade Trau, who won the Design Award in the Best in Bridal category, “One Sunday night, my son was complaining to me and said that ‘Monday is the worst day.’ I said, ‘You’re crazy! Monday is the best day!’ I love Mondays. I love waking up and going to work, it doesn’t even feel like work. I love what I do, and I thank you for acknowledging it.”
Several of the designers who won recognized the intensity of work involved in creating their design award submissions, and thanked those in their lives who gave them the support to continue to grow their collections. “Thank you so much,” effused Adam Foster when accepting his award for Best in Colored Gemstones Above $20,000. “I’d like to thank my wife, Alice, for not leaving me, my business partners for standing next to me, and my agent, Beth Anne, for not killing me.”
COUTURE also announced the introduction of a new initiative of providing the winner of the Best in Debuting category, which is only open to those designers who are exhibiting at COUTURE for the first time, with a $10,000 grant towards their COUTURE expenses the following year. “I think this is an incredible way for COUTURE to showcase their support for artists, and continue to carry on my mom’s legacy,” enthused Cindy Edelstein’s daughter, Remy Sasha, before presenting the Best in Debuting category to Ara Vartanian.
Prior to the awards presentation, Gannon Brousseau presented the inaugural WTF?! Award to designer Stephen Webster for the “design disaster” that he submitted to the competition. The name of the winner of the WTF?! competition will be engraved on the medallion each year and passed down to the recipient the following year.
The Cindy Edelstein Award was presented to Michelle Orman, who was acknowledged for her hard work and commitment to the industry at large, and specifically the COUTURE community.
Best in Bridal
Winner: Jade Trau
First Runner Up: TAP by Todd Pownell
Second Runner Up: Polly Wales
Best in Colored Gemstones Above $20,000
Winner: Adam Foster
First Runner Up: Antonini
Second Runner Up: VRAM
Best in Colored Gemstones Below $20,000
Winner: Noor Fares
First Runner Up: Stephen Webster
Second Runner Up: Alice Cicolini
Best in Diamonds Above $20,000
Winner: kataoka jewelry and objets d’art
First Runner Up: Gem Platinum
Second Runner Up: Hearts On Fire
Best in Diamonds Below $20,000
Winner: Baentelli
First Runner Up: Swati Dhanak
Second Runner Up: ANDY LIF Jewelry
Best in Gold
Winner: Nikos Koulis
First Runner Up: Bibi van der Velden
Second Runner Up: Isabella Fa
Best in Haute Couture
Winner: Mike Joseph
First Runner Up: Selim Mouzannar
Second Runner Up: Giovanni Ferraris
Best in Innovative
Winner: Silvia Furmanovich
First Runner Up: Federica Rettore
Second Runner Up: Graziela
Best in Men’s
Winner: Jan Leslie
First Runner Up: Shamballa
Second Runner Up: Victor Mayer
Best in Pearls
Winner: Karen Suen
First Runner Up: Assael
Second Runner Up: Moksh
Best in Platinum
Winner: Jorg Heinz
First Runner Up: Schaffrath
Second Runner Up: BQ Jewelry
Best in Silver
Winner: SYNA
First Runner Up: Nancy Newberg
Second Runner Up: John Hardy
Best in Debuting at COUTURE
Winner: Ara Vartanian
First Runner Up: Ananya
Second Runner Up: Lotus Arts de Vivre