January 25, 2021
The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and fine jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz are addressing a little-known inequity in the jewelry business: access to diamonds.
Today, the NDC and Schwartz announced the debut of the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative, a program created to remove barriers to entry to diamond suppliers, industry education, and resources, while providing ongoing mentorship to BIPOC jewelry designers. The initiative will also give a total of $1 million in the form of $20,000 diamond credits to the chosen designers.
“It is past time for our industry to be more supportive and share the magic of diamonds with a larger, more diverse group of jewelers,” said Schwartz in a prepared statement. “Helping BIPOC designers, and more specifically the underrepresented Black designer community, gain entry to diamond vendors and credit financing, as well as expand their businesses, is a necessary step in the process towards a more equitable industry.”
(Image: @lorraineschwartz/Instagram)
The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and famed celebrity jewelry designer Lorraine Schwartz have established an initiative to help make their industry more inclusive. The Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative will support Black and minority-owned jewelry designers, distributing $1 million dollars in diamond credits to help brands expand.
The new initiative will award recipients $20,000 in diamond credits to be used as a guarantor for businesses to work with partnered suppliers with the existing BIPOC brands and help new designers have a way to enter the field. The program committee will include industry veterans and celebrity advisors, including Tina Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and stylist Jason Rembert to review applications in addition to lending their expertise.