IJL announces 6 winners of the 10^th KickStart competition for up and coming designers.

International Jewellery London (IJL), long-established and world-leading jewellery trade event, has announced the six winning designers named as the 2019 IJL KickStarters.

The annual mentoring programme is recognised by the industry as one of the most successful bursary programmes for emerging talent. The initiative involves six of the best up and coming UK-based jewellery designers, who have been trading for more than 12 months, giving them access to a mentoring package, workshop days, ongoing pricing, branding and marketing support, introductions to key industry figures – and a presence at IJL 2019.

Katie Morris, IJL Exhibition Director said: “Congratulations to all six KickStart 2019 designers. We are thrilled to take them on this journey to enhancing their profile and pushing their business to the next level. Exhibiting at IJL positions these young designers at the heart of the biggest industry showcase in the UK, opening doors to new opportunities, expertise and networks for growing their brand and design practise.”

The KickStart 2019 winners are:
Aurelie Dellasanta, Aurelie Dellasanta Jewellery
Becca Macdonald, Becca Macdonald Studio
Bine Roth, Bine Roth Jewellery
Hannah Blackwood, Hannah Blackwood Jewellery
Lukas Grewenig, Lukas Grewenig Jewellery
Vanessa Pederzani, Heirloom Jewels

Aurelie Dellasanta, Aurelie Dellasanta Jewellery

Aurelie Dellasanta (MA Royal College of Art) is an award-winning Swiss-French jewellery designer based in London. She decided to launch her brand AURELIE DELLASANTA JEWELLERY following a career of creating unique contemporary designs which have been internationally exhibited in galleries and museums such as MAD New York, LACMA Los Angeles and COLLECT in London. Her last collection URBAN ANIMALS showcases a series of animals adorned with human elements inspired by punk culture. Mohawks, spikes and dangling charms are finely handcrafted by Aurelie, to give these cute creatures a unique edgy style, and turn them into timeless fairytale-like treasures.           

Commenting on being selected, Aurelie said: “I am really excited to have been selected as one of the KickStart designers 2019. This is the perfect opportunity to present my brand to a wider audience, find new stockists and meet other designers! I am really looking forward to learning a lot from that experience, as this will be my first Trade at an industry show. Thank you IJL team for your support and trust!”

Becca Macdonald, Becca Macdonald Studio

A background in textiles, ceramics and sculpture influences Becca’s jewellery practice. A common theme throughout her work is documenting the ‘evidence of presence’ and human traces. With an interest in both fluid movement and organic shape, she explores the space where liquid becomes solid and hard meets soft. Due to the transient nature of her making process, every piece of jewellery is totally unique. A fleeting gesture and moment of movement is permanently preserved and transformed into a distinctive piece of wearable art. In a digital world, Becca’s pieces evoke a sense of being, her jewellery tells a story of human presence. 

In response to being picked for KickStart 2019, Becca said: “I am very honoured to be selected as one of six for this year’s KickStart and so grateful for the recognition! Exhibiting at IJL is a wonderful opportunity and I’m really looking forward to presenting my work and making new connections.” 

Bine Roth, Bine Roth Jewellery

Bine Roth’s jewellery plays with our senses with the ultimate focus on movement and wearability. The designs are characterised by a combination of strong shapes combined with a serene lightness of movable chains which allow the designs to dance on the body. Innovative and daring, timeless and traditional sometimes understated sometimes extravagant.

Bine said: “Being selected for KickStart is a fantastic opportunity for my new brand to meet international buyers, galleries as well as fellow designers. I am delighted to be one of the chosen ones for IJL and be given the golden ticket to get my business up to the next level.”

Hannah Blackwood, Hannah Blackwood Jewellery

Hannah’s award winning Tempus Fugit collection is inspired by the Memento Mori of the 15th to 17th century. The aim of the collection is to inspire the wearer to make the most of everyday and to live like it was their last day. Hannah marries traditional jewellery making with the latest computer assisted design techniques in the creation of her pieces.

On being named a KickStart 2019 designer, Hannah said: “I’m thrilled to have been selected for KickStart 2019. I can’t wait to show my pieces to a wider audience and to learn as much as possible, to take my business to the next level.”

Lukas Grewenig, Lukas Grewenig Jewellery

The curiosity for the materials and crafts that Lukas Grewenig developed growing up defines the basis for his brand LUKASCASPAR jewellery. Innovation plays a big role in his first collection which features newly developed stone cuts, clever catches and a patent pending technique that makes symbols and images magically appear on some of the pieces.

Lukas commented: “I’m very excited to be part of this year’s KickStart group. Showing my work at IJL was a long time goal and I am really looking forward to the contacts and feedback from the visitors. And It is fantastic that we will benefit from the business support in the run up!”

Vanessa Pederzani, Heirloom Jewels

Milan-born, London-based jewellery designer Vanessa Pederzani creates unusual and effervescent fine jewellery. In keeping with her whimsical and vibrant personality, she enjoys giving shapes to whatever catches her eye. There is gentleness at times, playfulness, and boldness at others, but all her pieces have in common distinctive craftsmanship and unpredictable charm. Using different overtones of diamonds, rubies and coloured sapphires, she moulds precious war helmets, corsets, bats and scorpions. It’s a life story with an intense duality: femininity and gameness.

A trained gemologist, who honed her expertise at Pederzani Jewellery, her family business founded in Milan in 1947, and then at Christie’s and Sotheby’s, before striking out on her own, Vanessa exercises a unique approach. Her passion for coloured gemstones, nature, and details, inspires her to create unique jewels that resemble miniature art pieces. Her clients, mostly women buying a piece of jewellery for themselves, range from lovers of edgy design to those seeking something more elegant and classic with a twist. Vanessa thinks of her jewellery as a timeless final touch to express the “joie de vivre” of her followers.

On finding out she was selected as a KickStart designer, Vanessa said: “I discovered I was to be part of the next 6 KickStarters by email, and it was some of the most exciting news to receive as I have been feeling a bit stuck in my business. I am really looking forward to the training day and to September at IJL! I am sure it will be an invaluable experience and chance to receive useful feedback.”

Each designer will receive a bursary funded directly by the Benevolent Society, to assist with London transport and accommodation costs, plus the opportunity to join The National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), a professional membership body that delivers internationally recognised qualifications, and bespoke business mentoring, at a discounted rate.

KickStart, created by jewellery industry hub IJL and trade body the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ), has over the past ten years, helped more than 85 contemporary designers launch their careers and get an all-important foot in the door. KickStart alumni have gone on to have impressive careers in the jewellery sector.

IJL 2018 welcomed 500 exhibitors from 39 countries including 15 new countries ranging from South Korea, Czech Republic, Peru and Colombia to Qatar and Sierra Leone. IJL’s Diamond Club, which hosts the biggest international buyers, saw attendance up by 60% on 2017, with new attendees in 2018 from Canada and Jersey.