Van Cleef & Arpels and Tashkeel in partnership with Design Days Dubai are pleased to announce an open Call for Entries to emerging designers from the GCC region to submit design proposals for The Middle East Emergent Designer Prize 2017.
This year marks the 5th edition that High Jewelry Maison, Van Cleef & Arpels collaborates with Tashkeel and Design Days Dubai on the The Middle East Emergent Designer Prize.
Designers are invited to submit designs for purposeful or functional products that embody the theme of Growth. Finalists will be announced at Design Days Dubai in March 2017 and will have their work featured in November 2017.
The theme touches upon of the importance of both physical and intellectual growth; participants are asked submit designs for products that reflect growth related to the aesthetics of their culture, expressing their attitudes towards education and aspirations to grow, whilst serving the practical needs of the contemporary society. Finalists will be selected based on based on creativity, innovation and aesthetics.
“We are delighted to work in partnership with Van Cleef & Arpels for the fifth year to provide a platform for budding designers in the region. Design is a powerful tool to commemorate and evoke growth and participants are encouraged to interpret the theme as they wish,” remarked Jill Hoyle, Manager of Tashkeel.
Submitted proposals should take the form of contemporary functional products, including furniture, products or lighting. Please note that submissions in the form of designs for jewelry and/or watches will not be considered. The call is only open to previously unrealized projects; products can be proposed in any materials of the designer’s choosing but it must be possible for the proposal to be fulfilled within the budget and the timescale of the prize. Applicants should submit suitable digital files (photographs of maquettes, renderings and/or sketches) of the proposed work together with any explanatory notes and clear indication of materials to be used.
Alessandro Maffi, Managing Director of Van Cleef and Arpels commented “Along with our partners, we’re thrilled that The Middle East Emergent Designer Prize has materialized as platform for regional designers to be recognized for their creativity and a catapult into the international world of design. Education is a pillar at Van Cleef & Arpels and with that we are pleased offer the winner a five-day residency at L’ECOLE Van Cleef & Arpels where they will gain incredible insight into the exclusive world of craftsmanship and the Van Cleef & Arpels method”.
The winner of the prize will receive a total budget of AED 30,000 to produce a refined prototype that will be unveiled in November 2017. The front-runner will also be awarded a five-day trip to Paris to attend courses led by the acclaimed Mains d’Or, master craftsmen in high jewelry creation, at the exclusive L’ECOLE Van Cleef & Arpels, an institute dedicated to accentuating the methods behind the world of jewelry creation and watchmaking. Ten semi-finalists will be announced at Design Days Dubai 2017, and will also be granted AED 2,000 to showcase 3D prints of their work in November 2017; three finalists will each receive AED 10,000 to produce mock-ups to be exhibited in November 2017 and the winner will receive an additional AED 20,000 to realise their product.
Submissions to The Middle East Emergent Designer Prize are being accepted now through to January 15th, 2017. A completed application form with digital files should be emailed to submission@tashkeel.org (Subject: Van Cleef & Arpels Designer Prize 2017, name of designer).
The primary aim of the Middle East Emergent Designer Prize is to support and nurture emerging talent across the GCC and create global awareness by highlighting the region’s best designs at the renowned Dubai Design Days forum.