COUTURE 2022 Design Awards celebrate exceptional design and community

(NEW YORK) – The COUTURE Design Awards event was a celebratory showcase of the best in designer fine jewelry, and the finalists and winners were representative of the global talent that makes up COUTURE’s curation of exceptional brands. Of nearly 200 pieces submitted into the competition this year, the judges selected their top picks in 13 categories, with Editors’ Choice determined by attending media, and People’s Choice decided via text vote live from the event.

Director of COUTURE, Gannon Brousseau, set the tone for a remarkable evening, “It feels amazing being back at Wynn Las Vegas and exciting to be back on this stage at the Encore Theater. People are here from all over the world – Europe, Asia and from across the United States; what a difference a year makes!” He also noted two significant losses of the COUTURE community in the last year, designer Alex Sepkus and Steven Kaiser, who helped COUTURE build their timepiece business, and invited the audience to raise a glass in their honor.

“Thank you for believing in my work,” enthused Silvia Furmanovich while accepting her award for Best in Innovative. “Without your understanding, the work would be meaningless. It’s very gratifying when the work is recognized because, after all, I’m doing this for another person and not for me. Thank you to all the artisans that I collaborate with, they are equally responsible for this prize.”

The evening was also host to lighthearted banter between regions, with Federico Mariani exclaiming “Italians do it better,” while accepting the brand’s award for Best in Diamonds Below $20,000, and Silvia Furmanovich and Fernando Jorge weighing in on the side of Brazil while accepting their awards for People’s Choice and Editors’ Choice respectively.

The Cindy Edelstein Award recipient was revealed during the evening’s program, with Tony Goldsberry of Rock House receiving this distinguished honor. “It is our community that keeps us all together during these times,” Tony said from the stage. “This is a big group of my friends!”

The prestigious panel of judges who painstakingly selected the finalists and winners was made up of Diana Schade from Saks Fifth Avenue, writer Juliet de La Rochefoucauld, Nikos Koulis, Stellene Volondes from Town & Country and Elle Décor and Tanika Wisdom of Matches Fashions.

Winning pieces pictured pictured below:

Best in Bridal

1st: Kavant & Sharart
2nd: AZLEE
3rd: Phillips House