Inhorgenta Europe 2006: New Impulses for Jewelry Design

New design trends are by no means a product of coincidence. They develop hand in hand with contemporary events and societal changes in a dialog between art and commerce. New trends always start with young, creative designers who courageously absorb the moods within society and translate them into new forms or products. Fashion in particular has a significant influence on what the trends are in terms of jewelry and watches. From February 17 to 20, 2006, the Inhorgenta Europe in Munich will provide the world's largest platform for new impulses in the jewelry and watch industries.

Hall C2, the Designer Jewelry Hall, has long since become synonymous for new talents, boundless creativeness and an innovative wealth of materials. Over 300 jewelry designers provide incentive and impulses. This is concentrated design competence on roughly 10,000 square meters of exhibition space and a true richness of international jewelry producers and artists. From Niessing to Carl Dau, from Angela Hubel to Erich Zimmermann, from Ehinger-Schwarz to the designer watches by Ventura, they will all be presenting their innovative new products Within this framework, there is equal focus on the materials they use as on the countless design ideas, new cuts, lines, forms and colors that set the tone for the entire jewelry industry.

Special Silversmith Show

For the first time, the Trade Fair will, in Hall C2, present a special show by international silversmiths in "Forum Silversmiths". Within this framework, the Inhorgenta will, for the first time also, award the special prize "Silver". Under the auspices of Prof . Michael Rowe, Royal College / London, a jury of internationally renowned design experts will make a decision on the basis of the criteria of craftsmanship, technique and design.

Record participation among young industry graduates

In coming February, more young designers than ever before in the history of the specialist trade fair will take the opportunity to gain a foothold and to present their work to the international market. For 2006, the Inhorgenta Europe has already reported a record participation in the young designer's forum "Brand New - New Brand", at which graduates of national and international colleges and academies present their work, and also in the "Forum Innovation", which features the work by young, upwardly mobile jewelry designers and goldsmiths.

The forum "Brand New - New Brand" has registered growth of over 30 percent. This section is used by jewelry designers who graduated in 2005. This opportunity for self-presentation, which is tailor made specifically to suit their needs, "Brand New - New Brand" is a springboard into self-employment in order to make important business contacts and in order to gather key professional data for personal development and in order to promote personal standing within the competition.

The "Forum Innovation" in 2006 also offers specialist retailers an enhanced range of creative ideas. Encompassing almost 50 exhibitors, roughly 16 percent more creative jewelry designers are presenting their work to the international market than in the year before. In addition to design talents from all over Europe, numerous schools for jewelry and fashion design are also presenting their trendsetting work here. Project Manager Armin Wittmann states in this respect: "Drawing on the strategic and targeted promotion of young talents and the wealth of ideas and innovative concepts this produces, we want to and will provide the European specialist retailer industry with new impetus and impulses this February."

Innovation Prize for trendsetting design

The promotion of talent at the trade fair will in 2006 once more be crowned by the inhorgenta Innovation Prize for excellent and trendsetting jewelry design. The Munich trade fair is awarding this coveted prize within the framework of the Design Podium for the seventh time. In the years of its existence, the award has developed to become one of the most highly regarded prizes in the industry. All exhibitors in Hall C2 - therefore jewelry designers from all over Europe and overseas - are eligible to take part. The prize winning work will be presented in a spectacular special show on "Designers Avenue" in Hall C2. The celebratory award ceremony will be held there on Saturday, February 18, 2006.

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