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KEVORK KHATCHERIAN - LEBANESE JEWELLERY DESIGNER DREAMS OF BREAKING INTO UK MARKET
David Morgan
Global Arab Network
June 17 2010
The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce was pleased to host an exhibition
of fashion jewellery from the collection of well known Lebanese
fashion designer Kevork Khatcherian.
Kevork's hand-made rings, necklaces and bracelets in a range of shapes,
colours and sizes represent a celebration of the artistry, creativity
and sophistication of the Arab World. His dream is to break into the
UK market.
Opening the exhibition, which ran from 8-10 June, Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby,
Secretary General & CEO of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, said
"The Chamber performs a unique role in fostering closer relations
between Britain and the Arab countries through the promotion of
business and trade in their widest sense.
"We recognise that the cultural and the creative industries, of which
art and design are a part, are increasingly important aspects both
of the modern economy and the strong and diverse relations enjoyed
by our countries.
"The Chamber is very pleased to be able to play its part in helping
bring these products of his unique collection of jewellery to the
attention of a wider audience here in London," Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby
concluded.
Kevork Khatcherian is a leading practitioner of the craft and artistry
found among jewellery manufacturers in the Arab World.
The jewellery industry is an extremely lucrative business and the
Arab World constitutes one of the largest jewellery markets in the
world after the United States, China and India with 10 percent of
the world total.
Globally the market for jewellery is valued at approximately $146
billion annually of which the combined GCC market value represents
$14.5 billion.
Across the Arab world shopping is serious business and the appetite
for jewellery remains undiminished despite recent global economic
difficulties.
While top quality jewellery made with gems and precious metals
are always in huge demand, there is also a growing market for
sophisticated art jewellery which is prized for its originality of
design and creativity.
Kevork's work under the brand name Arvesti reflects the richly
diverse cultural history and heritage of Lebanon, the country of his
birth, where jewellery making has a strong heritage and which today
constitutes one of the country's major export industries.
For over 20 years, he has specialised in the creation of hand-made
fashion accessories such as necklaces, bracelets and rings designed
with fine craftsmanship. His aesthetic creations have won many
appreciative customers around the Middle East and the Gulf in
particular.
The event at the ABCC was Kevork's second major exhibition in London
but his first as a lone exhibitor, he told us; the first occurred
two years ago at the Kensington town hall as part of a Lebanese
cultural festival.
Kevork says that he was originally inspired to start designing
jewellery as a youth when he heard family stories about his grandfather
who was a celebrated silversmith in Turkey before the First World War.
His family only possessed one treasured artefact, a silver dining
fork, crafted by his grandfather since he had to flee Turkey under
the deeply tragic circumstances as part of the forced removal of
fellow Armenians, Kevork recalled.
His designs are now exclusively for women and Kevork says that his
inspiration is to please his customers and make them look beautiful.
He started his own business when he was in his early 20s working
alone and selling his products in the local souk. Gradually he gained
a reputation for originality and established his present company
Arvesti some 15 years ago.
Kevork continues producing the original designs for his exclusive
products, but the jewellery is now manufactured by a small dedicated
team of five skilled craftsmen at the company's factory in Beirut,
he says.
The jewellery is made out of semi-precious stones and copper, which
Kevork says is a flexible metal to work with; the copper is protected
and gold plated to preserve the colour and quality of the merchandise.
The company obtains its regular supply of materials from Austria and
the Czech Republic which allows it to meet orders and produce items
for different markets.
Gold remains the preferred metal for jewellery bought by customers in
the Middle East, while silver was more popular in Europe, Kevork says.
Arvesti is now renowned for its range of costume jewellery which is
much sought after and worn on social occasions such as the weddings
of wealthy families in the Middle East as well as royal families in
the Gulf.
Kevork tells us that his most expensive creation was a wedding dress
studied with jewels and pearls which was made for a princess at a
cost of $20,000.
He is proud that he has attracted some big customers in the Arab
World including the Lebanese singer Feyrouz, the Beirut theatre and
the Miss Lebanon competition.
Kevork Khatcherian is a household name across the Middle East and he
is a well known personality on the Arab media and in the social and
cultural life of his city Beirut.
Over the last eight years he has gradually been making inroads into the
highly competitive European market and his work is now increasingly
popular among the fashion industries in Rome and Paris, where he now
exhibits every year.
Concluding, Kevork says that his big "dream" is to break into the
London market.
Global Arab Network
This report appears in Arab-British Business, the fortnightly bulletin
of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.
From: A. Papazian
David Morgan
Global Arab Network
June 17 2010
The Arab-British Chamber of Commerce was pleased to host an exhibition
of fashion jewellery from the collection of well known Lebanese
fashion designer Kevork Khatcherian.
Kevork's hand-made rings, necklaces and bracelets in a range of shapes,
colours and sizes represent a celebration of the artistry, creativity
and sophistication of the Arab World. His dream is to break into the
UK market.
Opening the exhibition, which ran from 8-10 June, Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby,
Secretary General & CEO of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, said
"The Chamber performs a unique role in fostering closer relations
between Britain and the Arab countries through the promotion of
business and trade in their widest sense.
"We recognise that the cultural and the creative industries, of which
art and design are a part, are increasingly important aspects both
of the modern economy and the strong and diverse relations enjoyed
by our countries.
"The Chamber is very pleased to be able to play its part in helping
bring these products of his unique collection of jewellery to the
attention of a wider audience here in London," Dr Afnan Al Shuaiby
concluded.
Kevork Khatcherian is a leading practitioner of the craft and artistry
found among jewellery manufacturers in the Arab World.
The jewellery industry is an extremely lucrative business and the
Arab World constitutes one of the largest jewellery markets in the
world after the United States, China and India with 10 percent of
the world total.
Globally the market for jewellery is valued at approximately $146
billion annually of which the combined GCC market value represents
$14.5 billion.
Across the Arab world shopping is serious business and the appetite
for jewellery remains undiminished despite recent global economic
difficulties.
While top quality jewellery made with gems and precious metals
are always in huge demand, there is also a growing market for
sophisticated art jewellery which is prized for its originality of
design and creativity.
Kevork's work under the brand name Arvesti reflects the richly
diverse cultural history and heritage of Lebanon, the country of his
birth, where jewellery making has a strong heritage and which today
constitutes one of the country's major export industries.
For over 20 years, he has specialised in the creation of hand-made
fashion accessories such as necklaces, bracelets and rings designed
with fine craftsmanship. His aesthetic creations have won many
appreciative customers around the Middle East and the Gulf in
particular.
The event at the ABCC was Kevork's second major exhibition in London
but his first as a lone exhibitor, he told us; the first occurred
two years ago at the Kensington town hall as part of a Lebanese
cultural festival.
Kevork says that he was originally inspired to start designing
jewellery as a youth when he heard family stories about his grandfather
who was a celebrated silversmith in Turkey before the First World War.
His family only possessed one treasured artefact, a silver dining
fork, crafted by his grandfather since he had to flee Turkey under
the deeply tragic circumstances as part of the forced removal of
fellow Armenians, Kevork recalled.
His designs are now exclusively for women and Kevork says that his
inspiration is to please his customers and make them look beautiful.
He started his own business when he was in his early 20s working
alone and selling his products in the local souk. Gradually he gained
a reputation for originality and established his present company
Arvesti some 15 years ago.
Kevork continues producing the original designs for his exclusive
products, but the jewellery is now manufactured by a small dedicated
team of five skilled craftsmen at the company's factory in Beirut,
he says.
The jewellery is made out of semi-precious stones and copper, which
Kevork says is a flexible metal to work with; the copper is protected
and gold plated to preserve the colour and quality of the merchandise.
The company obtains its regular supply of materials from Austria and
the Czech Republic which allows it to meet orders and produce items
for different markets.
Gold remains the preferred metal for jewellery bought by customers in
the Middle East, while silver was more popular in Europe, Kevork says.
Arvesti is now renowned for its range of costume jewellery which is
much sought after and worn on social occasions such as the weddings
of wealthy families in the Middle East as well as royal families in
the Gulf.
Kevork tells us that his most expensive creation was a wedding dress
studied with jewels and pearls which was made for a princess at a
cost of $20,000.
He is proud that he has attracted some big customers in the Arab
World including the Lebanese singer Feyrouz, the Beirut theatre and
the Miss Lebanon competition.
Kevork Khatcherian is a household name across the Middle East and he
is a well known personality on the Arab media and in the social and
cultural life of his city Beirut.
Over the last eight years he has gradually been making inroads into the
highly competitive European market and his work is now increasingly
popular among the fashion industries in Rome and Paris, where he now
exhibits every year.
Concluding, Kevork says that his big "dream" is to break into the
London market.
Global Arab Network
This report appears in Arab-British Business, the fortnightly bulletin
of the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce.
From: A. Papazian