G&G CREATIONS WINS SECOND ANNUAL
FUTURE OF DESIGN BUSINESS INCUBATOR CONTEST
G &G Creations was named the winner of the jewelry industry’s most unique and career-building contest today after making a live “Shark Tank”-like presentation to a panel of judges and an audience of industry VIPs, press and fellow designers.
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Judges and team from G& G CReations (from left): Andrea Hill, Hedda Schupak, Ann Arnold, Mihran Guler, Esin Guler, Vahe Ghazarian, Sarven Ipek and Cindy Edelstein
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“We are overwhelmed and so proud,“ says winning designer Vahe Ghazarhian on behalf of his team. “We have been working on our application for a very long time and we used all the feedback and advice we’ve gotten since last year’s contest when we were a semi-finalist. We have improved every aspect of our business since last year to better align our efforts with our potential.”
The Future of Design contest is a business incubator competition that nurtures emerging design talent in the fine jewelry industry. It is unique in both the extent of the prize package it provides and that it puts the designers’ business acumen on an equal footing with his or her design talent. It was created in 2012 by Cindy Edelstein of the Jeweler’s Resource Bureau and Andrea Hill of StrategyWerx.
The contest was judged live at MJSA Expo New York by Cindy Edelstein; Andrea Hill; Hedda Schupak, editor of the Centurion Newsletter and Ann Arnold, president/CEO of Lieberfarb. An additional judge who had been actively involved in the judging process up to this point, Bruce Pucciarello, owner of Novell Design Studio, couldn’t be present at the live event but his opinions were factored into the decision.
"The judging was one of the most challenging tasks I've ever faced," said Edelstein. "The margin of difference between the three finalists was paper thin but in the end the judges felt that G&G Creations had the most powerful mix of amazing product design, agile business practices and marketability. They will become an important contribution to the fine jewelry community."
As the winner, G&G Creations will receive a raft of business services and support from a wide variety of industry organizations who have come together in their support of the next generation of jewelry designers.
Additional information about the Future of Design contest can be found on the competition website here.
The live finale included 10-minute presentations by all three finalists, including runners-up Lisa Adkinson of Lisa Robin Jewelry and Suneera Swarup of Suneera Fine Jewelry Design. Each designer was tasked with making a final pitch to the judging panel that explained their work, inspiration, and plans for the future. Panelists and audience members, including competition “dream team” members Robert Lee Morris, Penny Preville and Lisa Jenks probed further into each designer’s vision with tough questions about manufacturing, retailers, marketing, and price points.
As the winner, G&G Creations will receive:
- A booth in the JA Designer Showcase
- A booth in the Emerging Designer area of the Centurion Show
- A booth in the JRB’s globalDESIGN show
- An ad campaign in INDESIGN magazine
- A photo shoot by RSP Media
- Technical and marketing support by Platinum Guild
- Manufacturing support by designerWORKS by Novell
- Financial and strategic coaching sessions with Strategywerx
- Marketing support by Supportwerx
- Inclusion in a Jewelry Information Center national media tour and membership in Jewelers of America
- An AGTA membership and free entry to the 2014 Spectrum Award Competition
- A Contemporary Jewelry Design Group membership
- A Jewelers Vigilance Committee membership and Compliance Kit
- Editorial support by MJSA
- Editorial support on NationalJeweler.com
- A membership in JewelersResource.com Inner Circle
- Mentorship by all the judges
- Promotion and publicity throughout the process and coming year
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| GG Love -- sterling, gold and gemstone hearts collection by G & G Creations |
While G&G Creations was named the winner, co-creator Andrea Hill noted that all three finalists will receive help in the coming months. “We have a deep commitment to the three finalists. We feel strongly that everyone who entered this contest should benefit somehow,” Hill said. “All designers receive a 5-7 page analysis and recommendations report regarding their application. We are trying to help a wide swatch of designers grow stronger businesses.”
