Lakmé Fashion Week and Diamond Producers Association announce Winners of ‘The Real Cut – Season 2’

Diamond Producers Association (DPA) in collaboration with Lakmé Fashion Week today announced the winning talented jewellery designers of the second edition of ‘The Real Cut’. Six jewellery designers emerged as the final winners of ‘The Real Cut – Season 2’ and will get the opportunity to showcase their designs at Lakmé Fashion Week Winter/Festive 2019 along with celebrated fashion designers Archana Rao, Dhruv Kapoor and Shweta Kapur.

The theme for the second edition, ‘Naturality’, focuses on celebrating this billion-year- old miracle of nature through design. This collaboration underscores the fact that diamonds only enhance the beauty of couture with their timelessness and brilliance. The six winners - Dhairyada A Mehta of Vrajlal & Co, Divya Gupta of Tanishq (Design Excellence Centre), Ketan Chokshi of Narayan Jewellers, Roni Adhikari of Vummidi Bangaru Jewellers, Sonali Shah Sheth of Sphere, Taruna Kamdar of Anmol Jewellers were handpicked by an esteemed panel of judges from the jewellery and fashion fraternity in Mumbai on 11 th July 2019 at Olive, Bandra.

The winners were evaluated on parameters ranging from quality, innovation, and marketability to originality and ability to take their business to the next level. The diverse jury comprised of Richa Singh - Managing Director at Diamond Producers Association, Supriya Dravid - Editor, Elle India, Samyukta Nair - Owner – Clove the store, Bombay Bustle and Jamvar, London, Sohiny Das - Grain Consulting, Jaspreet Chandok – Vice President and Head of Fashion, IMG Reliance and Sonal Chauhan - Bollywood actress & Model.

Richa Singh, Managing Director of Diamond Producers Association (DPA), commented, “Diamonds are an integral part of Indian fashion enhancing every look, bridal or everyday pret wear, so it made perfect sense for us to take the collaboration with Lakmé Fashion Week to the second edition. With the theme being “Naturality”, I was very happy
with the diamond jewellery designs on display as they helped showcase the beauty, heritage and legacy of these billion-year-old miracles of nature. I look forward to seeing the trend - setting winning collections on the runway as they highlight the fit of everyday wear diamond jewellery with contemporary outfits. The Real Cut is a disruptive platform which will surely provide an impetus for these young turks.”

The programme was open to diamond jewellery designers who are associated with leading jewellery brands from across the country and have been in the business or practicing their craft for the past three to eight years. The designers exhibited unique crafting techniques and iconic designs to celebrate diamonds being one of the most natural and precious elements of the earth. Jaspreet Chandok, Vice President and Fashion Head- IMG Reliance said, “We are thrilled to once again associate with DPA as it opens the doors for the entire diamond jewellery design community to interface with Lakmé Fashion Week. It also provides young talent in an allied industry the leverage of the premier fashion event in the country and we hope some of our discoveries make a major mark in the industry going forward.”