The Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) announces two emerging designers that will participate in an inaugural showcase at the Centurion Jewelry Show. Renata Cambauva of HeyBabe and Sardwell of Renisis will present their collections at a WJA booth inside the MacArthur Ballroom (through the doors closest to the Centurion Design Awards).
“WJA is excited to provide this exciting tradeshow opportunity at Centurion for the first time to our Jewelry Loupe Project graduates. The opportunity to showcase their collections and meet buyers is the next evolution of our mentorship program. This arrangement is made possible with generous support from our partners at the Centurion Show and we can’t wait to invite members of the trade to visit and learn more about these talented women,” says WJA President Susan Chandler.
WJA’s Jewelry Loupe Project, sponsored by De Beers, is a free, six-month business development program for emerging designers within their first five years of business. The program, which was developed in 2019 by former WJA Northern California chapter leader Marie McCarthy of Fiat Lux, is heading into its sixth year. To date, WJA has trained and mentored over 60 emerging designers. Each designer is paired one-on-one with a mentor for the length of the program. Designers attend virtual sessions hosted by experts in design, marketing, sourcing, manufacturing, retail, packaging and pricing. The program culminates with a critique in the fall and mentors provide constructive feedback to prepare the designers to launch their collections.
“We are extremely excited to be partnering with WJA and De Beers on this wonderful Jewelry Loupe Project,” said Howard Hauben, Centurion CEO. “We have put forward emerging designer efforts over the years, but this WJA Initiative is incredibly well thought out, and the mentoring aspect is really spot on,” said Hauben. “We look forward to continuing this partnership for many years to come!”
Renata Cambauva is a nomadic native Brazilian fine jewelry designer. Currently based on the West Coast and constantly traveling, she graduated in Design and Advertising in Brazil. She immigrated in 2002, and worked for over 15 years as a Graphic Designer creating a solid foundation in Marketing and Branding Knowledge, something that she now brings to her brand, Hey Babe LA. With a fresh perspective she infuses some of her Latin American influences and mystery into every piece of jewelry. Hey Babe LA is not only an umbrella created for designs, it also curates community and human hearts who have something in common to share as far as their own creativity, passion and forms to express themselves. The collection has a foundation on the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah and Sacred Geometry which echoes the basic fundamentals of everything that is formed in nature. Her stunning raw and polished gemstones are ethically sourced from local and family owned businesses, and paired with 14 karat gold. Renata’s pieces often contain design elements that awaken the concept of unity, to remind us that our separation from nature or each other is an illusion.
Sardwell has a strong passion for art and desire to be creative. She lives her life absorbing and savoring nature’s beauty and cultural textures around her. At Rhode Island School of Design, Sardwell created theatrical large-scale sculptural installations and experienced her first intro class to jewelry. After graduating, traveling and living abroad for many years, her large-scale sculptures became small sketches in metal and lastly, pieces of jewelry. Sardwell apprenticed with various jewelry artists along her international journey to hone her craft. Navigating the Pandemic, Sardwell designed new striking jewelry pieces and the brand, Renisis, was born. Sardwell now shares her artistic lens, process and multicultural artistic journey through the world of Renisis, living at the intersection of jewelry, sculpture and theater.
WJA will support the emerging designer participants with tradeshow preparation and guidance leading up to the show and beyond. WJA encourages retailers and buyers to visit their booth inside the MacArthur Ballroom to view the collections and speak with these promising designers. To schedule an appointment, please contact us at info@womensjewelryassociation.com.
About the Women’s Jewelry Association:
WJA’s mission is to help women in the jewelry and watch industries advance and develop professionally through networking, education, and leadership development.
About WJA’s Jewelry Loupe Project:
WJA offers emerging designers access to well-established designers, business owners, and seasoned industry professionals to explore design, launch their first line, and develop marketing strategies and business acumen. Applications for the 2024 Jewelry Loupe Project cohort will open in February. To apply visit www.thejewelryloupeproject.com.
About The Centurion Jewelry Show:
The Centurion Jewelry Show is one of the world’s premier jewelry trade events and is known as “the better retail jeweler’s favorite trade show”. Now in its 23rd year, Centurion is invitation-only and features only the who’s-who of the jewelry industry.
