NDC, Lorraine Schwartz Choose New Crop for Designer Program

The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz have chosen a third batch of members for its Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative (EDDI).

The six designers in the program, which launched in January 2021, will receive $20,000 in diamond credit, the NDC said last week. They will also get retail opportunities, selling support, press opportunities, and education in diamonds.

All members will design a diamond-jewelry capsule collection, set to debut later this year. Collections by designers from the first two iterations have had their jewelry sold on Moda Operandi, 1stDibs, Gemist and Greenwich St. Jewelers, the NDC explained.

“We are thrilled to partner with the next inspiring group of jewelry designers,” said Kristina Buckley Kayel, managing director of the NDC. “The program continues to evolve and yield transformative outcomes for the designers. We are incredibly proud and committed to provide these designers of color with all the tools and mentorship they need to achieve successful and sustainable businesses.”

EDDI was created with a $1 million fund to help emerging jewelry designers from the Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) community enter the industry. The program will continue to host a new crew of designers each year until the credit runs out.

The new group of EDDI designers comprises:

Amina Sorel of Amina Sorel Fine Jewelry

Bernard James of Bernard James Jewelry

Gwen Beloti of Gwen Beloti Collection

Jessenia Landrum of jewelry brand Jevela

Rosario Navia of Rosario Navia

Symoné Currie of Metal x Wire

Image: Top row from left to right: Bernard James, Amina Sorel and Kristina Buckley Kayel. Bottom row from left to right: Symoné Currie, Jessenia Landrum, Gwen Beloti and Rosario Navia. (Natural Diamond Council/Andrew Werner)