The physical fair may have been cancelled this year – for obvious reasons – but the British Craft Trade Fair is still making its presence felt with a bustling online version. On the June 14-15 BCTF opened its virtual doors to the trade and, as ever, the NAJ was (virtually) there to select a jeweller to take home the NAJ Award for Excellence in Jewellery in the annual BCTF Awards.
This year the judges – NAJ industry ambassador Lindsey Straughton and The Jeweller editor Belinda Morris – were unanimous in their decision that the honour should go to Eleni Koumara of London-based Eni Jewellery. “We were immediately struck by the strong, sculptural, simple lines of her pieces – contemporary jewellery for women of any age who want to express their individuality,” Belinda explains. “We also love the fact that she is using recycled silver for her work and recycled materials to promote it.”
“We also want to compliment Eleni on the Eni Jewellery’s transactional website,” adds Lindsey. “She has put a lot of thought into great visuals, an attractively impactful brand logo and plenty of information on her philosophy, vision and brand policy. Plus, for a relatively new business she already has an impressive trading background.
Eleni started her jewellery training in Greece over 10 years ago and honed her skills at Central Saint Martin, London. She has collaborated with various London local teams and she has showcased her creations in several fairs, exhibitions and markets in Greece, Berlin, Shangai and the UK. Eni Jewellery launched in London in 2016.
As winner of the award, Eni Jewellery will receive a free, one-year designer membership to the NAJ, will feature in a forthcoming ‘Meet the Creatives’ profile on the Association’s website and will be the subject of an article in the Autumn 2020 issue of The Jeweller.
