Jewellery, gold, silver and Namibian precious stones.

Artist:                                                 Attila Giersch

Born:                                   1976, Otjiwarongo, Namibia

Lives and works:         Windhoek, Namibia

Collection name:          Goldsmith Atelier Attila Giersch

Attila Giersch is a leading jewellery designer in Southern Africa.  He completed his Goldsmith Artisan Diploma in 1998 from the Namibian Ministry of Higher Education, Vocational Training, Science and Technology and his apprenticeship certificate, or Gesellenbrief, from the Jewellery Association of Namibia, while working as an apprentice at the esteemed Adrian and Meyer Jewellers in Windhoek, Namibia.  He was the first Namibian to win the prestigious Southern African Shining Light Jewellery Award in 1997, a competition where the best designers of Southern Africa showcase their talents in the field of diamond jewellery. 

Giersch believes that successful designers must give back to their communities.  He provides training and job opportunities to talented disadvantaged youth, conducting several product development workshops for the City of Windhoek’s Youth Entrepreneurship Programme.  In his workshops he encourages young designers to achieve excellence by developing a personal design style that has been meticulously planned.  He also believes his students must never let a good idea pass by and experimentation with new techniques and materials guarantees success.  Furthermore, as a founding and board member of Pambili Young Designers, Giersch additionally chairs and co-directs this association, an organisation that promotes the marketing of Namibian fashion and jewellery artefacts.

Giersch not only crafts luxury jewellery for a substantial clientele base in Namibia with more conventional gems and metals, but he is also passionate about experimenting with unusual materials.  Organic shapes in combination with flawless finishes are Giersch’s hallmark.  However, unlike many western counterparts, these pieces reference the living traditions of Namibian people so they possess a ‘timelessness’ that is spiritual in origin.  Being at the forefront of Namibian jewellery design, he was commissioned to design and create the Miss Namibia Pageant crown in 2006 and 2010.  He never fails to deliver a collection that is extraordinary and deeply Namibian. 

Awards:

1997                                     Southern African De Beers shining light award:  best design for diamond jewellery, South Africa

1999                                     Most creative design award, Plat Africa 1999 (platinum design competition), South Africa

2000                                     Honourable mention, Plat Africa 2000 (platinum design competition), South Africa

Selected Exhibitions:

1998                                     World EXPO 98’, Lisbon, Portugal (designs were selected by a UNESCO panel and exhibited in Paris in 1998)

2000                                     Group exhibition, Gold Art, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia

2007                                     Muoti, Helsinki, Finland (Finnish Fashion Week)

2009                                     Group Exhibition, Precious Reflections, Windhoek, Namibia

2010                                     Import Shop, Berlin, Germany (Trade Fair)

2011                                       Business Fashion Angola, Luanda, Angola (Angola Fashion Week)

2011                                       Tendance, Messe Frankfurt, Germany (Trade Fair)

2011                                      Group Exhibition, Five of a Kind, Omba Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia

2012                                      Group Exhibition, Six of a Kind, Omba Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia

E mail: attila@iway.na

Mobile: + 261 81 261 4695

P.O.Box 1135, Windhoek, Namibia

Facebook www.facebook/attilagiersch.com