The British Academy of Jewellery is thrilled to announce the launch of its ‘Circle of Life’ Live Project in collaboration with world-renowned London-based jewellery designer Theo Fennell.
The project will see more than 70 BAJ students work on a jewellery brief set by the highly esteemed international designer. This exciting opportunity will give BAJ students the chance to show off the advanced technical jewellery-making skills they have developed through our high-level, hands-on training. Students will also further their understanding of what it is like to work on a real-life professional brief.
The project’s brief challenges participants to design and manufacture a ring representing ‘the Circle of Life’. Designs should be invested with real emotional and talismanic weight but must also take into account questions of comfort and practicality. These criteria have been conceived in order to encourage students to develop thoughtful designs with real commercial relevance.
Participating students will benefit from feedback from Theo Fennell, invaluable input that will not only allow them to develop their designs for the Live Project, but also to evolve as jewellers.
Three winners will receive the highly prestigious accolade of having their work showcased at Theo Fennell’s flagship store in Chelsea, where the pieces may even be sold if their designers so wish. In addition, one of these winners will be selected to have their work worn and photographed on a very special Theo Fennell customer.
“The British Academy of Jewellery is honoured to collaborate with Theo Fennell and proud to be able to offer our students another opportunity to work with a prestigious international brand,” said Kate Rieppel, Head of Academy at BAJ. “Our Live Projects are an important way of providing our students with a sense of what it’s like to work on real professional briefs, one of the reasons that BAJ graduates are considered to be highly employable by so many key industry players.”
“It’s inspiring to be able to work with enthusiastic young jewellery makers. We look forward to seeing the creative ways in which the British Academy of Jewellery’s students interpret the ‘Circle of Life’ brief,” said Theo Fennell.
The Theo Fennell brand, founded in 1982 by its eponymous creative director Theo Fennell, is a bespoke jewellery and silverware manufacturer. Known for its intricate craftmanship and imaginative originality, the brand has gained fans around the world thanks to its beautiful and idiosyncratic pieces, which channel a uniquely British sensibility.
“Circle of Life” is part of BAJ’s ongoing Live Project series, which enables our students to work on professional jewellery briefs set by high-profile UK-based brands. Our previous Live Project partners have included the likes of Alighieri and Alex Monroe.
More information:
🌐 www.baj.ac.uk
