Rock On: Emerging Designers Shine At Greenwich St. Jewelers
For designer Dorian Webb, jewelry is about contrast and creating intrigue and complexity. Take her diamond baguette hoop earrings as an example. To the jeweler’s eye, they are 18k yellow gold hoop earrings with diamond baguettes and hinged clasps.
For Webb, one of five members of the inaugural Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative (EDDI) class, these hoops are like musical notes, a visual cacophony that compels movement. Hoops are a key part of her Quality || Equality collection, which she says dreams of a time when everyone is seen and heard equally.
“The left and right earrings both have their own distinctive placement of diamonds to give a sense of rhythm and movement,” Webb says. “Together, they form a visual call-and-response dynamic that is inspired by the lilting polyrhythms often found in African American dance, music, and art.”
Hoops also reflect who she is, conveying her African American heritage through her unique take on this classic design. Her hoops are a kind of signature: One pair even graced the ears of former first lady Michelle Obama. As Webb puts it, “Hair up, hoops down, ready to rule the day!”
Greenwich St. Jewelers owners and sisters Jennifer Gandia and Christina Gandia Gambale say they felt compelled to serve as the exclusive retailer for the EDDI program. Launched by Lorraine Schwartz x the Natural Diamond Council in January 2021, EDDI provided $1 million dollars of diamond credit and support to emerging BIPOC jewelry designers.
“Equity and diversity in jewelry enriches and strengthens the industry, making it more exciting and resonant for jewelry lovers everywhere,” Gandia Gambale says. “The EDDI project is a natural extension of our years-long effort to build a brand that celebrates the work of fine jewelry designers from a diverse array of backgrounds and aesthetics.”
Top: Dorian Webb designed her diamond baguette hoop earrings to create a kind of musical movement that reflects African American call-and-response rhythms. Her work is now available at Greenwich St. Jewelers as part of the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative (EDDI) launched by Lorraine Schwartz x the Natural Diamond Council (all photos courtesy of Greenwich St. Jewelers).
https://www.jckonline.com/editorial-article/emerging-designers-greenwich-st/
