Kids Jewelry Design Exhibition - August 2020

The 1st Kids Jewelry Design Exhibition was successfully held at Paloma Sanchez, The Art of Jewelry gallery on August 9 in the beautiful Nali Patio, Sanlitun, Beijing. The event saw 20 kids from 10 countries, including China, Spain, France, Ireland, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Korea, Morocco, and Switzerland, who participated with their very own creations and impressed everyone on the spot.

The veteran designer Paloma Sanchez started her own brand when her son Pablo was 6 years old. She often got inspiration from Pablo either from his drawings or ideas. “This time I gave one gem, a fluorite from China, with a natural octahedron shape, to each kid. All the kids had the same stone. The only rule was that they had to make a jewel with that stone and kids gave me many options in the end. The exhibition is also to show how a design from a kid can be made into a beautiful piece of jewelry. They are really geniuses”.

Sanjar's work and his inspiration Amulet Tuman (1st prize)

Aged 4 to 14 years, these kids created their designs infused with blessings, hopes, fun shapes, and elegant beauty. Sanjar, a 12-year-old from Turkmenistan, made a unique piece featuring a geometric design. He said he was inspired by their traditional amulet, Tuman, which is based on a silver shield with golden ornamentation that brings happiness, success, and prosperity to people. His drawing incorporated many circles, curves, triangles, and other geometric shapes, making the piece a wonderful combination of complexity and creativity.

Hugo, aged 11 from Ireland however, got inspiration from Chinese dragon as a symbolic importance, giving much power to his design.

Leonore, a French girl aged 12, added two wings on the fluorite, making it a beautiful necklace. When asked why she added wings, she said that maybe the wings represent her two brothers, “who are in heaven, and in heaven, people have wings.”

The event also invited two renowned artists and one haute couture designer as judges to choose three winners from among 20 pieces. “It is very difficult to choose, as every design is number one in my heart. But they have to select three winners and make choices.” said Paloma Sanchez.

The first and second prizes went to Sanjar and Leonore, respectively. The third prize was awarded to a 6-year-old Chinese girl, Fan Wei, for her design of two icebergs floating in the sea, creating an elegant necklace or a pair of earrings (not displayed on site).

The event was also a good networking occasion for parents who brought their kids to the exhibition. A great weekend afternoon for everyone to enjoy.