Events & AwardsMay 24, 2022
WJA to Host Diversity Keynote at New Las Vegas Breakfast Event Events & AwardsJun 03, 2022
‘The Radiance’ to Shine at Couture
Premiering at the show, the project consists of capsule collections from 13 BIPOC designers using fully traceable diamonds from De Beers.
PHOTO Seven of the 13 designers in “The Radiance by Couture” group, clockwise from top left: Angely Martinez, Lorraine West, Jules Kim, Khadijah Fulton, Lola Fenhirst, Kassandra Gordon, and Ashley Thorne.
PHOTO More designers in “The Radiance,” clockwise from top left: Viviana Langhoff, Maggi Simpkins, Olivia Shih, Sara Bautista, Zulaikha Aziz, and Melanie Eddy.
Las Vegas—A group of capsule collections debuting at Couture 2022 will address two key issues currently facing the fine jewelry industry—the traceability of diamonds, and the need for more diversity.
“The Radiance by Couture,” which will be on display in the Cristal Ballroom, features the work of 13 BIPOC designers and is the culmination of the inaugural mentorship program of Couture’s Diversity Action Council, or DAC.
It was created in partnership with De Beers, which provided the designers with diamonds from its Code of Origin program—diamonds that have a unique inscription number and are verified as natural, conflict-free and mined by De Beers in one of the four countries where it operates—as well as a budget for production.
The designers in The Radiance group are: Angely Martinez, Ashley Thorne (A.M. Thorne), Jules Kim (Bijules), Kassandra Gordon (KLG Jewellery), Khadijah Fulton (White/Space Jewelry), Lola Fenhirst, Lorraine West, Maggi Simpkins, Melanie Eddy, Olivia Shih, Sara Bautista, Viviana Langhoff and Zulaikha Aziz (Mazahri).
“We are honored to partner with De Beers to provide a platform for these 13 talented designers,” said Couture Director and Emerald Executive Vice President Gannon Brousseau.
“It has been so enriching engaging with the designers and watching their businesses flourish and evolve over the last 18 months. These capsule collection launches are certain to add a high level of excitement to our event and we are delighted to welcome these designers to our community.”
Erin O’Donnell (Couture), Elizabeth Bonanno (The EAB Project), Fernando Jorge, Floriana Annibali, Jennifer Maxwell (Leigh Maxwell), Joel Cheatwood (Gems & Tonic), Julez Bryant, Lauren Godfrey (Harwell Godfrey), Megan Aoki, Monica Stephenson (Anza), Pamela Love, Polly Wales, Prerna Sethi (Sethi Couture), Stephen Webster, and Zoe Chicco served as the DAC mentors for the program.
The Radiance capsule collections will be on view in Salon 633 in the Cristal Ballroom during Couture, which is slated for June 9-12 at the Wynn Las Vegas, with a preview event on the evening of June 8.
The collections are available commercially for retailers to carry in their stores.
Formed in the summer of 2020 in response to calls for more diversity and equity in fine jewelry, Couture’s Diversity Action Council aims to contribute to making a more inclusive industry through programs that promote and support the BIPOC community.
A key focus of the council has been its mentorship program, which paired BIPOC designers with designers and members of the Couture community for one-on-one mentorship beginning in January 2021.
DAC augmented the mentors’ contributions with weekly or bi-weekly education sessions with experts in brand development, business fundamentals, financial guidance, and ethical gem purchasing.
“In developing our mentorship program, we wanted to ensure that the parameters we established first and foremost benefited the specific needs of the participating designers,” said Eric Ford, fine jewelry buyer at Neiman Marcus and head of the DAC.
“Within the application process, we sought feedback from the applicants so that we could thoughtfully pair them with a mentor who was uniquely positioned to meet their needs. It is a key focus of the DAC to not only promote and support BIPOC talent, but to amplify their voices and provide resources based on success metrics determined by and for BIPOC to directly address the barrier to entry in the jewelry industry.”
For more information about the DAC or The Radiance by Couture, contact Michelle Orman at Michelle@LastWordcomm.com.
To book an appointment to see the capsule collections at Couture 2022, contact Jennifer Nottonson at jennifer.r.nottonson@gmail.com.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
SurveysOct 09, 2026
These Will Be the 10 Busiest Days for In-Store Shopping This Holiday SeasonStores should expect to see the most customers on Nov. 27, and Christmas week is expected to be hectic too, as Dec. 25 falls on a Friday.
CollectionsOct 09, 2026
Elisa Solomon Collabs With Serendipity 3 on ‘Frozen Hot Chocolate’ CharmThe charm, our Piece of the Week, features brown diamond frozen hot chocolate topped with white diamond whipped cream and a ruby straw.
AuctionsOct 09, 2026
8-Carat Blue Diamond Goes Unsold at UK Jewelry Auction The top lot of Elmwood’s recent fine jewelry sale in London was a 1.84-carat, D color Tiffany & Co. solitaire diamond ring.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
WatchesOct 09, 2026
Movado to Sell Majority Stake in Ebel for $66.5MThe watch company agreed to sell a 95 percent interest to a group comprised of F.P. Journe, Chanel, and Swiss watch exec Pierre Jacques.
Weekly QuizOct 08, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Policies & IssuesOct 08, 2026
Third Wave of IEEPA Tariff Refunds Begins This round of tariff refunds is for importers that have sued over IEEPA tariffs in the Court of International Trade and won.
CollectionsOct 08, 2026
Brent Neale’s New Collection Goes ‘Back to Basics’It revisits the brand’s most requested silhouettes, from "Pillow"-set necklaces and bracelets to "Signature"-set rings and earrings.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
SourcingOct 08, 2026
Ethical Gem Fair Heads Back to BrooklynThe trade-only event includes buying opportunities as well as educational sessions on artisanal mining, the new Paraíba source, and more.
AuctionsOct 08, 2026
Reba McEntire’s Jewelry, Watches Head to Julien’s AuctionsThe live charity benefit sale in Nashville will also feature gowns, boots, and other memorabilia from the country music legend.
Supplier BulletinOct 08, 2026
Overnight Mountings’ Bridal Builder Helps Jewelers Turn Custom Design into a Hands-On Selling ExperienceSponsored by Overnight Mountings
Policies & IssuesOct 07, 2026
The Plumb Club Amplifies Its Voice as Geopolitical Pressures MountThe supplier organization recently joined JA and JVC to have more input on political issues affecting the jewelry industry.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
Blue Nile, Royal Asscher Collection Highlights Natural Diamond BeautyBlue Nile, a Signet Jewelers-owned brand, is now Royal Asscher’s exclusive licensed retailer in North America.
CollectionsOct 07, 2026
4 Standout Pieces in Audemars Piguet’s First High Jewelry Collection “Royal Oak” pays homage to the brand’s most popular watch model using 18-karat gold as well as diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.
MajorsOct 07, 2026
Empire Safe & Vault Promotes Juan Morales to CEOAs part of the transition, Joseph Nicosia has stepped into the role of COO.
SourcingOct 07, 2026
AGTA Extends Deadline for 2026 Spectrum Awards EntriesParticipants now have until Oct. 14 to complete their submissions.
CrimeOct 06, 2026
6 Charged in Connection to String of New Jersey Smash-and-GrabsThe alleged thieves used crow bars and sledgehammers to smash into jewelry stores across the state.
ColumnistsOct 06, 2026
Sherry Smith: Is the Consumer Really Trading Up?Ahead of the holidays, Smith urges jewelers to take a hard look at who’s buying jewelry, what they’re purchasing, and who’s stopped buying.
SourcingOct 06, 2026
DDG Taps Influencers for ‘My Diamond Does Good’ CampaignIn the new consumer-facing campaign, four fashion and lifestyle creators share the stories behind their natural diamond pieces.
MajorsOct 06, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names COO, CMOFGI President John Orrico is also leaving the company after more than 13 years.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
De Beers to Take Full Ownership of Gahcho KuéIt is the last fully operational diamond mine in Canada following the recent closures of Ekati and Diavik.
AuctionsOct 05, 2026
The Star Cats of the Sandy Lerner AuctionThese jewels stood out at Bonhams’ sale of the cat-loving tech entrepreneur’s collection of objects depicting the feline form.
CollectionsOct 05, 2026
Sorellina Writes Another Love Letter for ‘Postscript’ CollectionThe fine jewelry brand has expanded the collection that debuted at Couture with four new designs based on its most popular styles.
SourcingOct 05, 2026
Bruce Bridges Joins CIBJO BoardThe AGTA president was elected for a two-year term on the board of directors.
SourcingOct 02, 2026
De Beers, National Geographic Society Renew Okavango Eternal Partnership The partnership, a pledge to protect Africa’s Okavango River Basin, has been extended for an additional five years.
MajorsOct 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New $150M Manufacturing Facility in VietnamThe new facility, its first outside of Thailand, will boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 percent.
TrendsOct 02, 2026
Hearts On Fire Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Heart PendantThe special-edition “Dream” pendant, our Piece of the Week, was created to mark Hearts On Fire’s 30-year milestone with 30 diamonds.
