The Attraction of Visions: Inhorgenta Europe 2004

At the start of the year, inhorgenta europe in Munich will provide answers to the questions on how jewelry will develop, what influences it will absorb and what repercussions it will have.

What concepts will 2004 bring? Which expectations must one not neglect when dealing with the future of European jewelry designs? The current work by over 300 jewelry designers will give the most conceivably different answers to these questions at inhorgenta europe (Feb. 20 to 23, 2004) in Munich.

The standards are duly high at the world's largest presentation at a trade fair. The wheat is quickly separated from the chaff in a direct comparison. It quickly becomes clear if a nice idea doesn't make the cut or the playful handling of cliches or quotes is insubstantial or even kitsch.

The whole breadth of design

People presenting at the inhorgenta throw themselves to the mercy of the specialists. There is no jury that decides in advance, only the judgement of the marketplace. And that's the way it should be, if one consideres the high standards of products on offer in Munich. This is why the designer hall not only brings together artists, but also accommodates forums such as "brand new - new brand", "Creative" and "Concepts and Innovation". There are also presentations by the "Gruppe Juni" Philipp Becker and the Bavarian Handicrafts Association. Design-orientated jewelry manufacturers such as Niessing, Pur, Fillner, Pars pro Toto or Ehinger-Schwarz are also found here on the Designer's Avenue. After all, the boundaries between those that manufacture unique jewelry, jewelry designers and manufacturers of small series are fluid. Angela Hübel is a good example of this, in addition to Carl Dau and André Ribeiro. The "Goddess of the Rings" time and again perfectly unites her own signature with what jewelers and customers want, so that she could product a lot more than she actually does. However, she draws a conscious line here in order ot preserve the mystique of exlusivity.

The visions that inspire the jewelry makers are echoed in an increasingly large number of providers who reflect their design on artists, or who develop jewelry collections with their assistance. In this, the materials that are used are equally in the focus of attention as the countless ideas on design, for example new cuts, lines, forms and colors.

Platform for Start-Ups Launched

For the second time, the jewelry Fair inhorgenta, which will be held in February 2004 in Munich, will offer start-ups the opportunity to present themselves and their work at a specially designed exhibition platform. The platform "brand new - new brand", which provided 20 young designers with the opportunity of staging an inexpensive and intensively supported presentation for the first time during the internationally significant jewelry fair in 2003, will accommodate 22 hopeful designers in its second year. The presentation of "brand new - new brand" in the design jewelry hall C2 is not only the first step in the limelight; the young graduates from international jewelry schools learn important steps in structuring collections, building a brand, presentation, pricing and communication in prepared seminars. The inhorgenta europe organizers can see the proof of their successful work during the first even not least on the basis of the pleasingly high numbers of participants in the first "brand new - new brand" who are now returning: Of the 20 start-ups in 2003, 13 are returning to inhorgenta 2004 as "normal" exhibitors. Cete

Innovation prize at the inhorgenta europe

The competence at inhorgenta with regard to design jewelry is emphasized in various competitions in which established companies and also young, upcoming jewelry manufacturers can take part. For example, the coveted inhorgenta Design Prize for excellent and trend-setting jewelry design was awardd for the 5th time already during the Design Podium. All exhibitors in the Designer Hall - jewelry designers from Europe and beyond are eligible to take part. A high-class, international jury of representatives from the crafts, art, science and journalistic sectors selected the commendable pieces and the four prizewinners.

Noriko Matsumoto from London received one of the equally prestigious prizes for her delightful study on module and reproduction. Her joyful elements, which are reminiscent of comic figures, become a successful unit in their transformation and succession.

Claudia Hoppe from Düsseldorf convinced not only in her fresh, playful, colorful and symbolic brooches and bracelets, but also with the entire concept of her jewelry design.

Yvonne Raab, Atelier eigenhändig from Augsburg, succeeds in integrating the dimension of time in her friendship rings. The rings are embedded in soap and are therefore exposed gradually.

A pioneer of felt jewelry, Karin Wagner from Basel, was honored as the 4^th prizewinner. Time and again, she has presented wool as a material for contemporary jewelry in virtuoso creations. Her tightrope walk of quoting apparently kitschy ornaments, ironic dissolution and charming and playful representation is convincing. The work by roughly 30 selected participants in the competition, including the four prizewinners, are on show in the spectacular special exhibition on the "Designer's Avenue", which runs as a central axis through the entire Hall C2 like a catwalk.

Visual presentation of international jewelry art

Karin Wagner is also present at the new platform "Forum International". In view of the fact that it is difficult at times to find an adequate presentation for extravagant jewelry on standard trade fair booths, the fair has designed an entire eye-catching stand for small, creative companies. The aim was and remains to emphasize the special features of the presented work through providing and adequate stand design and to enable the designers to travel lightly. The stand plays host to Allan Scharff from Denmarl, a classic among the widely appreciated Scandinavian gold and silversmiths. His soft, flowing and bimorph forms make viewers almost forget that virtuoso, intensive hand crafting can make the work appear so light and effortless. The jewelry concept Switch by Heinz Laible offers a possibility of transformation. It is a simple, but therefore also striking ring concept for playful people, who wish to greet the manifold requirements of our age with beauty. The latest, still incomplete work by Allan Scharff and Heinz Laible will be on show at the inhorgenta. Hilde Janich continues the succession of imaginative objects with the blaze of color found in her parchment jewelry. Enchanting compositions crinkle and sway, while overlapping scales and light leave splay and complement the body of the person wearing it.

Design-oriented production

Leading international brands and manufacturers also leave their watermark on the topic of design in Munich. Renowned producers such as Apitzsch, Cédé, Isabelle Fa, Stefan Haffner, Henrich & Denzel, Jochen Pohl or Georg Spreng are found at the Platinum Forum. The pacemakers in gemstone cutting include experts such as Engel & Co., Färber, Groh + Ripp or Paul Wild.

Jewelry is once more increasingly made of yellow gold, while the platinum trend persists. However, the collections are also more and more drawing on unusual jewelry materials such as plastic, wood and felt. The selection of materials remains more courageous, as consumers are accepting the new materials and are handling the "unreal" jewelry with confidence. Jochen Exner, CEO at Niessing, believes that the decisive factors are the forms, the design ideas and the creative potential of a place of jewelry. In general, the forms will be slightly more organic in 2004, without being overloaded with decoration. Softer, rounded forms are in the foreground.

Pearls are becoming increasingly significant as an element of jewelry design. Individual, extraordinary jewelry is all the rage. An unbelievable richness of colors and forms open up new opportunities for cultured pearl jewelry. In general, a more feminine design is prevalent. Pearls in rare color tones and unusual forms are combined and perfectly complemented with sparkling brilliants and colored stones.

In view of the fact that the spring/summer fashion will in general be very feminine, jewelry will play a greater role than in the past. Women will wear a lot of fifties look, flowing materials and seductive pieces. Gold is perfectly suited to this. There is also jewelry that symbolizes nature and naturalness to match the numerous flower prints. Flowers, animals and snakes as motifs are popular. Stones with warmth and spiritual significant suit the fashion trend well, for example coral or jade.

Zebra Design GmbH • Kurfürstenstr. 131 • 10785 Berlin fon +49-30-230 990-0 • zebra@zebra-design.dewww.zebra-design.de • www.shots-zebra.de

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