AVAKIAN
Edmond Avakian is the founder and designer-in-chief of the eponymous brand, beloved by Hollywood stars and lovers of high-octane glamour and intricately colourful jewellery. His career has been circuitous and his life culturally diverse, encompassing an Armenian heritage, Oriental influences, West Coast American academic background, and a cosmopolitan outlook. This has influenced his creations in a unique way. “I have had the good fortune to be exposed to be many cultures and geographical settings throughout my life. This is often seen in the geometrical designs of the jewellery pieces and in the strong use of colour contrast. Each piece is generally inspired by a place I have visited.” Avakian is a visionary who likes to “push the creative boundaries of craftsmanship” by combining ingenious design with rarity of gems that he sources out personally. “I tend to fall in love with a stone because of its unique colour and/or cut, and then work around the stone over the coming weeks and months to create a very unique design. Design has always been something that we put a lot of emphasis on. It has allowed us to differentiate Avakian, the brand, from that of our competitors. At the same time, we are mindful of the fact that the pieces need to be very wearable, so as to become a part of a woman’s day to day life and identity.” Edmond Avakian is a trained gemologist, as are his son and daughter who are leading the brand into the future through digitalization, innovation, and keen awareness of the modern consumer who is both discerning and knowledgeable. “Meticulous gem selection, the intrinsic value of the gem, and the ingenuity of design all go hand in hand - each element has to speak very eloquently. My children share both my vision and eye for detail.” The Avakian collections exude Hollywood glamour, opulence even, and grace many an actress during the Cannes Film Festival. While the high jewellery creations are conceived to wow, most pieces are very easy to wear and integrate into any lifestyle. “We don’t subscribe to trends. All our collections are classic, timeless, bold, colourful and versatile. Beside the classic collections, we create unique pieces for our high jewellery range. These pieces are designed around an important gem. We would generally see a gem we like and purchase it, and then, over the coming weeks and months, create a strong design to make the gem truly stand out, with strong colour contrasts complementing the design.”
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www.avakian.com
