SIAD students are now new designers of Kreolor jewellery |29 September 2022

Mrs Naidoo Legras (right) and Mrs Chetty signing the MoU at the Kreolor’s headquarters in Le Rocher

• The two organisations sign memorandum of understanding

Third year students of the Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD) are now new designers of jewellery for Kreolor.

It follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the post-secondary institution and Kreolor, at the company’s headquarters in Le Rocher.

The signing was done on behalf of Kreolor by its general manager, Agnes Naidoo-Legras and SIAD’s director, Christine Chetty, in the presence of the company’s employees and SIAD students and lecturers.

Speaking to the media, the company’s brand manager, Isabelle Larue, said the company which has been in existence for over 30 years wanted to offer something new to its clients.

She said having worked with a local designer three years ago to produce some beautiful pieces, the company now wanted to take a different approach and bring something new to the table.

“We decided to give the students an opportunity to showcase their jewellery designing talent. For us it’s a very big step in the sense that being a local company in Seychelles, I think it’s very important to support the young,” she said.

Miss Larue described the project as an exciting one, which will be a six-month process.

It will include several meetings between the two sides, to allow the students to better understand Kreolor and its work prior to designing the jewellery.

She added that the art industry is still developing in Seychelles and Kreolor wanted to make a positive contribution, support it, as well as allow both organisations to achieve a common vision for the development of the creative arts.

“I think it will also be a good experience for them to understand that world of work, getting that experience and maybe considering a career in jewellery designing. It’s not a very big industry here in Seychelles but it is something that we value since we have a common vision, both SIAD and Kreolor, to support the young and bring out their talent and give them opportunities where possible”.

For its part, SIAD,which welcomed the partnership, said it will allow its students to showcase their jewellery designing skills.

The institution’s director, Mrs Chetty, said although they have worked with various other workplaces before to produce designs, this one was different and she thanked Kreolor for this collaboration.

“This will be a process that will include visits, lots of research, designing and samplings before the final design is accepted and our students are prepared for this new challenge,” she said.

To ensure everything runs smoothly, the students will be working under the supervision of their lecturers.

Mrs Chetty said the project is targeting final year students who are joining the world of work shortly or pursuing their studies and she hopes this will allow them to see the different opportunities that exist in the creative industry in the country.

“I hope this first collaboration is a success and that Kreolor would be a possible workplace for some of our students, especially after they see what goes on there during their workplace experience,” she said.

Kreolor said they are yet to decide on the MoU’s commencement date but the new designs will be unveiled next year.

Patsy Canaya