DUT: WINNER OF ELEGANT GOLD DESIGN

Stephane Barbeau was named the winner of the Beyond Jewellery Design category after designing an elegant gold arm piece for the 2007/8 AngloGold Ashanti global competition 2007/8.

The AngloGold Ashanti competition which takes place every two years was themed Kinetic Architecture. There were two categories namely general jewellery and beyond jewellery. AngloGold Ashanti takes the collection of jewellery pieces around the world.

Stephane, a second year B Tech student on the City campus of the Durban University of Technology, took jewellery design to an exceptional level with polished skills. Confident with his skills he entered two pieces, neck piece and arm piece. Each piece is crafted in 18ct. gold. He won a R10 000 cash prize. AngloGold Ashanti sponsored the tool kit for the competition.

He derives his inspiration from the PETRONAS Towers of Malaysia and Theo Jansen. PETRONAS is a structural form of a building and the wave motive represents a big kinetic storm.

He owns a company called Slab Design Label and specialises in doing one on one designs with clients. He is currently doing ranges of design. His design work is eclectic as it is influenced by a lot of different features. He is working on taking traditional design and converting it into contemporary jewellery.

He is looking to start an international label stocking outlets around the world. He is going to put his collection on show at the annual jewellery exhibition to be held at the DUT’s Art Gallery in November this year.

For more information contact Stephane Barbeau on 082 487 4317.