Anglo American Platinum’s flagship platinum jewellery market development initiative, PlatAfrica, is collaborating with African Fashion International (AFI) to showcase the best of local jewellery design at this year’s Forbes 30/50 summit under way in Abu Dhabi.
Hosted annually by Anglo American Platinum in partnership with Platinum Guild International (PGI) India and Metal Concentrators, PlatAfrica is South Africa’s premier platinum jewellery design and manufacturing competition. The 2022 Forbes 30/50 summit presented an opportunity for the statement jewellery pieces to be showcased at one of the worlds’ crossroads – Abu Dhabi – from 6 to 9 March.
As part of PlatAfrica’s collaboration with AFI, seven fashion designers from all over the world will showcase their designs. During the fashion show, models wearing clothes by Abu Dhabi fashion designer Sara Al Tamimi will be draped in a selection of 30 PlatAfrica pieces that have been submitted by students, apprentices, and professional designers. These pieces include the 2021 winning South African designs by Patricia Ntombizodwa Tshabalala (apprentice category) and Chris and Jannie Janse van Rensburg (professional category).
The AFI fashion designers at this year’s showcase include Christie Brown from Ghana, Marie Louis Bishara from Egypt, Eric Raisina from Madagascar, Shamyra Moodley from South Africa, Sara Al Tamimi from the UAE, Sober from South Africa, as well as Sima Collezione from Iran.
Natascha Viljoen, CEO of Anglo American Platinum, said: “We are very proud of the work PlatAfrica has done to unearth and encourage jewellery design and manufacturing capability in South Africa and position platinum as a jewellery metal of choice. Our collaboration with AFI at the Forbes 30/50 summit presents us with an opportunity to put our platinum designs on the world stage and demonstrate the incredible depth of talent and experience in jewellery design.”
Dr Precious Motsepe, CEO of AFI, said: “The Forbes 30/50 summit is the perfect opportunity for the African creative industries to take their rightful position on the world’s stage. We are excited as an aggregator platform to collaborate with brands and designers to expose them to global markets.”
The PlatAfrica jewellery pieces will be showcased and available for sale at the AFI showroom at the Forbes 30/50 summit and on www.afi.co.za.
