Thaipost and Komchadluek
16 Sep 2015
Currently, there are more and more innovative jewelry designs in response to the lifestyles of the new generation. Meanwhile, traditional crafts have also been consolidating conservation heritage. The two differences are clearly visible during the award ceremony and exhibition of the winners in Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair hosted by the Ministry of Commerce together with the Intellectual Property Office of ASEAN and the European Union. Competition with winners from the nine countries came from each of the ASEAN countries showing potential designs with an open attitude of the new generation at IMPACT Exhibition Centre, Muang Thong Thani yesterday.
Mali Chocklertlum Director of Intellectual Property says the industry of jewelry and accessory
generates revenue for the country continuously. It has a high export value in the top ten rankings in ASEAN. This is why jewelry design contests must be supported to encourage young designers to create new jewelry collection and encourage the synergies of creation with the International designers from the ASEAN countries to build a foundation of prosperity and cultural creativity among the regions. The contest was conducted from last April, it was divided into two levels:
National Level, each of the ASEAN member will each select five best designs in their countries for the final judging of Region Level which will be selecting the final winners from each individual country.
The panel of judges are professional Jewelry designers from Spain, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand, the nine final winners will receive a scholarship to study with John Hardy jewelry company at Bali, Indonesia. The best design collections from the nine countries including Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand are presented through luxury fashion show reflecting the unique beauty of each design. Jittakarn Bantengpaiboon winner of Thailand stated that the technique of laser cutting and 3D printing are used to design jewelry. A novelty in both production and technology, the collection name Fairly Fairy shows the imagination of gradual changes that arouse curiosity and imagination, the manufacturer uses this technology that allows the designer to design freely and access to a variety of styles and made easy for repetition. However, due to the new production cost is relatively high and manufacturers will have to adapt to this new
market.
Another collection ‘Ever Foliage’, Achillea Teng Siow Lee winner of Singapore had been inspired by the love of natural jades and design inspiration from the pine tree, one of The Three Friends of Winter (pine, bamboo and plum tree) which is the symbol of longevity. A necklace that looks
resolute but a display of gentle swaying through the leaves. This necklace is fully handcrafted
because she wanted the jade pieces to have a natural design effect which technology could not fulfil the fine details. It shows an inherited knowledge with a new era of modern design presenting the uniqueness of culture.