The 2024 COUTURE Design Awards a Celebration of Global Design

(PRESS RELEASE) LAS VEGAS, NV — The enthusiasm in the room when the winners and finalists of the 2024 Design Awards were announced reflected the strong sense of community that distinguishes COUTURE. An introductory video that played to a packed audience at the Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theater featured a number of designers hailing from across the globe, highlighting the event’s global footprint and calling out the months or even years of work that it takes each contender to create its pieces.

“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, jewelry curator and journalist, Archana Thani, Tracey Ellison, The Diamonds Girl and designer Marco Bicego. The Editors’ Choice award was determined by attending media, with People’s Choice narrowed down to three contenders before the audience voted live from the theater to establish the winner.

The first award of the evening, Best in Bridal, was presented 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.”

Sorellina took home 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.”

The evening also paid tribute to Julie Von Bargen Thom from Von Bargen’s Jewelers, who was presented with the annual Cindy Edelstein Award. Julie was nominated by her team as well as several designers and brands from the COUTURE community who acknowledged the many ways in which she has carried on and enhanced her father’s legacy.

“I am so overwhelmed,” Julie said from the stage in an emotional acceptance speech, “I have an amazing team, I think that is why Von Bargen is an incredible place. I was given an amazing opportunity, my dad started a small business in the middle of nowhere in Vermont, and he believed in beautiful things, and he passed that on to me. And thank God for my husband because I would definitely not be here without him. He keeps the business running smoothly and lets me do all the things I want to do and avoid all the things I don’t want to do.”

A complete list of winners and finalists is listed below:

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