Jameel Mohammed Wins First Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer Award
Tiffany & Co. and the CFDA on Wednesday night revealed Jameel Mohammed as the recipient of the first inaugural Jewelry Designer Award during a cocktail reception at Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship, The Landmark.
The first-of-its-kind award recognizes emerging American jewelry designers who are committed to driving inclusivity within the design industry and elevating jewelry design as its own category akin to women’s and men’s wear. As part of Tiffany and the CFDA’s social impact platforms, Tiffany Atrium and CFDA Impact, the award reflects their shared commitment to excellence within the design world and innovation.
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As winner, Mohammed, a multimedia artist and founder and director of afrofuturist jewelry brand Khiry, will receive a yearlong paid fellowship with Tiffany’s design department, along with a $50,000 award.
“It’s super exciting to partner with the CFDA on this because, as an institution, we share some common values in terms of supporting emerging talent, embracing creativity and craftsmanship, and in the case of Tiffany & Co., a little bit of joy and celebration,” Andrea Davey, the jeweler’s chief marketing officer, said before passing the microphone to CFDA chief executive officer Steven Kolb.
“This particular event shows the power of collaboration between Tiffany & Co. and the CFDA. It’s really not just an opportunity for the 10 designers, but it’s creating opportunity beyond this room, showing what is possible to a next class, a 2.0 class of a program like this. Jewelry design shines as a space for artistry and storytelling, and our designers have showcased that most definitely. There’s really a lot of brilliance in the cohorts in this program this year,” Kolb said after taking a moment of pause to acknowledge the devastating fires in Los Angeles.
“The award that we are celebrating tonight is truly unique and first of its kind. Tiffany Atrium, our social impact platform, was launched in 2022 with the ambition to showcase the talent of underrepresented talent coming from all backgrounds, from all walks of life. Tonight is really the embodiment of that mission,” added Stéphanie Oueda-Cruz, Tiffany’s global vice president of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
Leading up to the awards event, 10 designers were chosen to participate in the program by selection committee members Alexandre Arnault; Bethann Hardison, CFDA board member and advocate; Frank Everett, vice chairman, jewelry, Sotheby’s; Gabrielle Union, actress, producer and bestselling author; Jahleel Weaver, creative director and stylist; Jason Wu, the designer and CFDA member; Joan Smalls, model and actress; Nathalie Verdeille, chief artistic officer, jewelry and high jewelry, Tiffany, and Rajni Jacques, global head of fashion and beauty, Snap Inc.
The program, which ran from October 2024 to January, recognized 10 participants: Mohammed; Angie Marei; David Perry; Ian Delucca; Hi Vu; Maggi Simpkins; Malyia McNaughton; Marvin Linares; Pamela Zamore, and Symoné Currie. They were tasked with designing a final presentation that paid homage to Tiffany’s heritage and inventiveness.
Throughout the four-month program, they engaged in monthly mentoring sessions with Tiffany’s design team; received tours of The Landmark and the house’s jewelry design and innovation workshop, and attended in-depth lecture series focusing on various topics including visual merchandising, jewelry trends, brand identity, sustainability and gemstones.
“I kind of teared up twice today because I’m so invested in what they have done,” Frank Everett, Sotheby’s vice chairman, jewelry, told WWD of his experience judging each of the designers’ collections Wednesday morning. “The presentations, first of all, blew my mind — and I do not use that phrase ever — and the professionalism, the polish.”
Everett said he started his career at Tiffany and was honored to be a member of the award’s selection committee and has enjoyed getting to know many emerging designers in the contemporary jewelry world through the program, as well as a number of Sotheby’s shows for young designers. He added that in November, he acted as the “Tim Gunn of jewelry,” giving participants the opportunity to ask him questions through a mentorship program.
Speaking about the award winner, Everett said he is eager to see what Mohammed does both independently and with Tiffany and is “excited for the connections that the rest of the participants, who are all winners, have made.” In addition, he has high hopes the award will continue in the coming years, saying, “All I want to do is come back and do it again next year, because it’s been the highlight of my year.”
On Wednesday morning, the selection committee reviewed each designer’s final presentation, selecting Mohammed’s ability to combine Tiffany’s heritage with modern twists and a unique perspective, as seen through his “Wildflower” collection on display.
“The camaraderie that was between the group was impressive. Their passion, their grit, their ambition was there. One of them said, ‘If one of us wins, we all win,’ and that is really the spirit of tonight with that,” Oueda-Cruz said before presenting the award to Mohammed.
“There are so many people who made this moment possible, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it. I have long believed in the power of Tiffany as a brand, an American luxury brand. I’m an American luxury designer, and I’m really excited to be where I belong,” Mohammed said on stage, thanking the judging committee, the entire Tiffany team and the CFDA.
“It’s been an incredible experience. I’ve grown so much as a designer, as an artist, as an entrepreneur, as a strategist. I’ve learned so much about what it takes to really bring best in class to the table,” Mohammed told WWD, adding that his Wildflower collection is a story of resilience — reaching softness and beauty after circumventing tribulation.
“I have always wanted to make and be a part of creating on a daily basis, and doing it with a company that takes beauty so seriously and that has the resources to create the world’s historical art experiences and fashion experiences. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 10 years, trying to do my own version of that, and I’m excited to see the version that I can come up with once I have the support and backing of a huge institution,” Mohammed said.
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