Boma Jewelry, a Seattle-based company, is announcing the launch of a grant program that will provide design mentorship, sampling development, and production opportunities in silver and gold jewelry to Black jewelry designers.

As a vertical company that is family and Thai-owned, Boma is proud of its long history of ethical manufacturing. Malene’s words have galvanized the team at Boma to do more with its resources. Instead of offering empty words of support, Boma has recognized an area where it can make an impact for emerging designers.

Today Boma has announced its first grant program for emerging Black designers by pledging a $7,500 grant of design mentorship, materials, resources, development, and sampling expertise to a selected grantee. Boma is partnering with London-based jewelry designer, Estelle Dévé who will provide guided mentorship and one on one coaching with the grantee. The program is designed to scale and work with the grantee based on his or her portfolio and area of brand growth. A common challenge to emerging jewelry designers is the risk and capital needed to test new designs and develop collections. Through the Boma grant program, the grantee will have opportunities to test new designs in the market before expanding production, therefore minimizing the risk of manufacturing goods that go unsold.

“We recognize that we have resources now that many Black jewelry designers have never had access to. It’s unfortunate that it has taken us so long to recognize this lack of opportunity and development, but we want to make it right and contribute to a lasting, positive impact for our grantees and partners,” says Boma Jewelry CEO Suzanne Vetillart.

Applications are open to all Black jewelry designers and can be submitted on Boma Jewelry’s grant page. The submission deadline is June 22, 2020.

About Boma Jewelry

Boma Jewelry is a leading social purpose corporation that is focused on providing unparalleled quality and transparency for its customers and partners. Through its vertically-integrated supply chain and nearly 40 years of experience creating fine jewelry and cultivating artisanship among its employees, Boma demonstrates that being profitable, respectful of all its people, and conscious of its environmental impact is achievable when long-term goals are prioritized over short-term gains. Boma is a member of the American Sustainable Business Council, Lift Economy’s Next Economy MBA and is in process to be B-Corp Certified in 2020. To learn more, visit Boma Jewelry’s website at www.bomajewelry.com .

About Estelle Dévé Studio

Estelle Dévé is a Senior Designer and Creative Consultant with over ten years’ experience across high-end fashion and retail. Her eponymous jewellery went on to be supported by leading fashion accounts, including Browns, and Harvey Nichols, as well as being featured in key fashion publications. Today through her design consultancy she helps companies in their infancy stage, or existing brands wanting to broaden their product offering, develop their creative brand strategies, and design collections in line with their brand ethos.

Photo credit: Esther Lee