It's not called the Oscars of jewellery designing for nothing. Like the premiere film event, AuDITIONS Arabia also sees a keen contest with designers from all over the Middle East vying for top honours, but on a much bigger scale.
There were 10,000 entries from over 1,000 designers and only six possible winners.
Sure enough, the air at Fairmont Hotel was thick with suspense last Thursday as representatives of the World Gold Council and industry player the Hammer Group got together to announce the names of the winners -- three each from the Catwalk and Ready-to-wear categories.
As models sashayed around the hotel's 23rd storey hall in dazzling gold adornments, it was quickly evident that the judges would have had a tough time picking out the winners.
THE WINNERS
Jeana and Magdi Mushriqi from Egypt bagged the first prize in the Catwalk category. The second prize went to Syrian Reem Nadim Yassouf and the third to Emirati Asma Salem Alawlaqi.
Egyptian magic prevailed in the Ready-to-wear category too with Karam Mossad Ahmad Mohammad and Mohammad Abdul Azayem Abdul Muneem picking the first and second prizes. The third prize went to Indian Nithya Mukundan.
The winners received trophies and certificates on behalf of the World Gold Council, Hammer Group and AngloGold Shanti.
“The response to the contest is a clear indication of its growing popularity in the region,'' said Anan Fakhreddin, Managing Director, Middle East & Turkey, World Gold Council.
Similar views were expressed by Majid Algouneh, Chief Managing Director, Hammer Group. “We hope this contest will infuse a sense of vibrancy and passion for gold jewellery in the region,'' he said.
Mark Pool of leading gold producer AngloGold Ashanti and one of the judges at the contest said it more ground needed to be covered to ensure that jewellery remains attractive to consumers in terms of global trends.
