You may have noticed that here at So Catchy! Where Fashion Begins, we’ve been fascinated by the work coming out of the Jewelry Design Department at Shenkar College in Israel.
The feedback we’ve been getting from you, our readers and followers, has been amazing and the credit goes to the glasses that the students designed during this latest course. We showed you a selection of our favorite eyewear designers not too long ago and included some of them. We chose to add them to the list not only because of the obvious talent behind them but also the potential they showed.
Apart from the glasses, the jewelry and accessories coming out of Shenkar are also amazing. As just one example, check out the work of Noa Lee Shaked.
We wanted to get to know a bit more about how the department of Jewelry Design worked and what their goals are so we talked with one of the professors there, Uri Samet.
Uri Samet is the cofounder of the department and a designer of accessories and eyewear, both are his passion. He has taught at Shenkar since 1998 and has his own studio, Uveru, in Israel.
We can’t wait to see more of what the students at Shenkar come up with during the next course. We here at So Catchy! Where Fashion Begins will be paying close attention, in fact.
Mary Grossman + Liraz Borstain + Maya Schossberger
SO CATCHY!: Can you tell us about the students of the Jewelry Design program at Shenkar?
URI SAMET: Many candidates apply for the program, but only a dedicated few get accepted, so we get to start off with a very talented group of pupils.
SC!: Eyewear design, we mention it because it’s been quite successful recently, how did it get its start in the Jewelry Design department?
US: Spectacles always intrigued me. I love glasses and regard them as jewelry pieces for the face, and as such I thought they would make for a great theme for a course in the Jewelry Design Department, in which I have taught since its establishment back in 1998.
SC!: What did you want to achieve as the director / advisor of the group of students behind the project?
US: Glasses are a very complex object. They combine technical and design challenges together with optometry rules that have to be considered. Apart from all these the students are asked to research fashion trends and include those into their designs as well. It’s a very demanding course, but with many fruitful results.
Oria Forsher + Roni Liani + Laya Nitta
SC!: Can you tell us about the manufacturing process for the glasses?
US: There are a variety of methods from which the students can choose to manufacture their works. They decide on the technique most fitted for their design. This could be by using classical jewelry techniques, or, if appropriate, some choose the most up to date 3D printing machines. These are only two examples out of many.
SC!: Where do you think the fields of jewelry and accessory design are heading?
US: Jewelry and accessories have been with us for centuries, and I believe they will stay with us for many more. The only things that change are trends, materials and techniques. A good designer is one that knows how to use these to his advantage and create pieces that evoke interest and excitement in people.
Michal Canfi + Yifat Levi + Ofir Stern
SC!: If you could give your students one piece of advice, what would it be?
US: BE CURIOUS!
SC!: A perfect piece of jewelry is….
US: One that combines heritage and innovation.
SC!: What sets Shenkar apart from other prestigious design schools?
US: The Jewelry Design Department in Shenkar differs from other similar departments in Israel or abroad, on account of its unique curriculum program. Our students graduate with a versatile set of tools and “know how” that enable them to integrate more flawlessly into the ”real world”. We do this, partly, by combining courses that are tutored together with representatives from established design companies from the jewelry design industry.
Schachar Krisher + Yonatan Landsberg
SC!: What challenges are you looking forward to over the next year?
US: Every new academic year is a challenge for me. I’m excited to meet new students and see how they develop, thanks to their curiosity and eagerness to learn, and thanks, of course, to the department’s wonderful, dedicated and professional tutoring staff.
Photos courtesy of Mark Grossman
Translation and layout by Michael Padilla
