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Gemist, NDC to Offer Custom Pieces by BIPOC Designers
Dorian Webb, one of the designers in the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative, will be the first to work with Gemist.
Dorian Webb is one of the designers who is a part of the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative, an initiative of the Natural Diamond Council and designer Lorraine Schwartz aimed at creating a more equitable fine jewelry industry. She will be the first of several BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) designers to offer customizable jewelry via Gemist.
Los Angeles—Jewelry e-tailer Gemist is partnering with the Natural Diamond Council on a new custom design experience.
The company specializes in “try-and-buy” technology, allowing customers to create a custom jewelry design on its website and receive a free replica of the piece, letting them try it on and wear it before completing the purchase.
Gemist will lend the custom design element of its technology, and later the try-and-buy aspect, to the designers of the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative (EDDI), a project by the Natural Diamond Council and designer Lorraine Schwartz aimed at creating a more equitable fine jewelry industry.
The initiative, now in its second round, offers $1 million of diamond credit to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) designers, $20,000 per designer.
“Our goal is to amplify the artistic vision of those incredible BIPOC designers by making their pieces customizable by jewelry lovers everywhere through Gemist’s interactive customization platform,” said Gemist.
The try-on at home aspect of Gemist’s technology will also be made available as the partnership grows, said Gemist.
Jewelry designer Dorian Webb, a member of the inaugural group of the EDDI, will be the first to work with Gemist.
Webb is an award-winning designer and an active member of the art world.
Webb is an award-winning designer and an active member of the art world.
Here, the 18-karat gold “Trellis Dome” ring is imagined in various metals set with diamonds or gemstones.
A pair of Dorian Webb studs in different metals, set with diamonds or gemstones
She developed a love of Venetian glass blowing during a semester abroad as a junior at Yale University studying architecture. The experience has inspired her work and given her an appreciation for the power of handcrafted objects.
Webb is a board member of the Yale Alumni Arts League and is on the board of directors for the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco.
“Dorian has chosen multiple unique designs for this partnership; beautiful exclusive variations of her dome ring and trellis earrings will be accompanied by the Gemist design experience where consumers can choose their own style, shapes, stone, and metal types,” said Gemist.
The partnership with Dorian Webb, available via the Gemist website, begins Aug. 11.
A new EDDI designer is set to be announced every four to eight weeks, with Malyia McNaughton of Made by Malyia up next.
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