With all of our grand plans, it quickly became apparent that our real strength as a community lies in design (shocker, I know!). And with that, our mentorship program was born, first with the Radiance by COUTURE, then the Luminaries by COUTURE, and most recently the Iridescence by COUTURE.

A two year program, we pair each mentee with an individual mentor, and we hold bi-weekly sessions via zoom with experts in a variety of fields. In their first year, the cohort attends COUTURE in an observational capacity, walking the floor and meeting with designers and other industry insiders. In their second year, they have an opportunity to showcase their collections on the show floor. We have so many milestones to be proud of, from magical mentor/mentee pairings to graduate Hiba Husayni of ZAHN-Z taking a Design Atelier salon in 2025 and bringing home the Best in Debuting prize at the COUTURE Design Awards.

Each year, we also have so many takeaways for how we can improve the next program. One of those ideas is to do an “exit interview” style story on each “graduating” cohort. While all of us on the council, our mentors and those of us on the COUTURE team put a lot of work into the program, in reading the responses to the questions we sent over, I was once again reminded how much we get out of the program.

Not only do we get to see the ongoing development of some seriously beautiful designs, the challenges, both internal and external, that our mentees have overcome, and the unique perspectives expressed in their work, is an unending source of inspiration, as evident in the below responses.

Aziza:

COUTURE: What’s one piece of advice you wish someone had given you sooner?

Aziza-Abdullah Nicole: “Be the artist, and don’t think of the price.”

Unfortunately, I received this advice later in my journey as a designer rather than sooner, but it whispers in my ear every time I start holding back on a design. My mentor, David Hakimian, said those words to me, and they’ve stayed with me ever since.

I used to limit myself as a designer by thinking, “Will someone buy this?” “Does it fit within a certain price bracket?” “Should I make it smaller?” But none of those questions matter in the creative process because those are things you can always work through once you move into production. 

Just make the art.

As long as you’re staying true to yourself, there will always be an audience that connects with and admires your work because it’s authentically yours. 

C: What message do you want to leave for your future self in 10 years? 

AAN: “Don’t forget to make a toast to continue to celebrate the wins that have brought you here.”

We tend to forget all the accomplishments we collect throughout our journey as artists, and even more so as business owners. The meaningful relationships you build simply by being yourself, the press features, the stores you once dreamed of being in, the trade shows where you present your collections, even the accomplishment of finishing a collection after all the milestones you’ve tackled along the way.  

No achievement is too small to be celebrated or should ever go unseen. So continue to hug yourself, pour a glass, and take a big slice of cake, because everything you’ve manifested and continue to manifest, will, and always has, found its way to you.

So cheers to staying true to yourself, to leading with passion, and to continuing to share your love with the world.

Cindy Liebel Jewelry:

COUTURE: What is your best memory from your time in the Belonging @ COUTURE Mentorship Program?

Cindy Liebel: Oh there are so many memories!To name a few, some of my best were experiencing summer of 2025 at COUTURE. We were given a tour and met so many amazing people within the fine jewelry space, networking and learning more and more about the jewelry business. Meeting so many jewelers who have been in the business for many years and learning their story, how they started was very inspiring.

Having the opportunity to exhibit and share my work at COUTURE this past summer was such a surreal experience. Having the opportunity to be in front of stores, press and in a room with jewelers I’ve admired for many years was a moment I’ll never forget. And can I say the food. I couldn’t get enough of the food.

C: What are 3 goals you have for the immediate future?

CL: Well, I have a lot of goals, more than I can probably handle. Right now, staying connected and engage more with retail partners, new and current. Focus building my collections and creating a more cohesive collection and one-of-a-kind. I also want to add more sparkle to my collections with lots more colorful gemstones, like sapphires, spinels, beryls and diamonds.

dan-yell:

COUTURE: What is your best memory from your time in the Belonging @ COUTURE Mentorship Program?  

Danyell Roscoe: My best memories from Belonging weren’t necessarily during the scheduled sessions—they were the moments spent with my cohorts afterward. From dancing late into the night to DJ “What’s-His-Name,” to laughing so hard our stomachs hurt over group dinners while trying to fight off sleep.

Looking back, though, one of my favorite memories was actually the very first day of setup. We were all sleep-deprived, running on adrenaline and nerves, but everyone jumped in. We tore through boxes, helped each other style displays, made thoughtful edits to one another’s booths, with a touch of bossiness, patience, and encouragement.

C: What are 3 goals you have for the immediate future? 

DR: 1) Streamline the path between creating my jewelry and getting it into the hands of editors, stylists, and jewelry advocates so it’s easier to share my work with the right people, 2) Nurture existing contacts and build on the new connections I’ve made, 3) Find a more engaging way to connect with my customers that feels genuine to my personality, respects my desire for privacy, and remains visually compelling and authentic to my brand. Then, most importantly, make the time to do it.

Jessica Liu:

COUTURE: What is your best memory from your time in the Belonging @ COUTURE Mentorship Program? 

Jessica Liu: Walking into COUTURE for the first time is something I’ll never forget. Just a few years ago, I was teaching myself jewelry-making on an IKEA rolling cart, and suddenly I was surrounded by designers and retailers I’d admired for years. But more than the show itself, what I’ll remember most is the generosity. Every conversation, every introduction, every piece of advice made this industry feel a little smaller and a lot more welcoming. It reminded me that while jewelry is deeply personal work, building a business doesn’t have to be a solitary journey.

C: What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you sooner?

JL: You don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin! Clarity comes from making the work, not from waiting until you’re ready.

Rebel Jewelry:

COUTURE: What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you sooner?

Marie Helena: It is quite easy get overwhelmed in this industry. As a jewelry designer, I set high standards for myself and my brand Rebel. While I do not compare myself to others or other journeys, the world today makes it harder not to compare the level of success from one brand to another. 

The truth is that there is no right or wrong definition of success. You are the sole person who can measure the level and meaning of your success, it could be a new collection launch, a press release or even designing a meaningful custom piece for a client. This is the only advice I wish I heard over and over when I first started. 

C: What message do you want to leave for your future self in 10 years?

MH: For my future self—I hope you remember why you started. I hope that no matter what changes you still have the same passion, curiosity and purpose. I hope you continue to take the risks, just like the ones you were not afraid to take. Remember when nothing was certain, no paths were clear and when you had no answers to your questions. The journey was definitely harder than what you expected, but I’m confident that it was worth it. I hope you are proud of yourself, of what you achieved and the person you became.You knew Rebel was a long journey, I hope you had the courage to never give up on it.

Sanct Desiderta:

COUTURE: What is your best memory from your time in the Belonging @ COUTURE Mentorship Program? 

Julia de Souza: One of my favorite memories from the Belonging @ COUTURE Mentorship Program was the time I spent with the other mentees. I formed meaningful connections with such an inspiring group of people. As a bit of a jewelry nerd, I genuinely loved talking with everyone, learning about their work, and getting to know them personally. Before the program, I wasn’t familiar with many of their brands, which made the experience even more special. It was an incredible opportunity to connect with talented contemporaries and build relationships within our industry.

Spending time with my mentor [Erica Molinari & team] was equally unforgettable. Having the opportunity to share my work, receive thoughtful guidance, and experience COUTURE through their perspective was something I could only dream of. Being able to present my pieces and witness firsthand what they experience each year made the entire program feel truly extraordinary. It was a dream come true.

C: What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you sooner?

JDS: The advice I wish someone had given me sooner is simple: do what you love. 

It’s something you hear all the time, but it’s much harder to believe when you’re working as a production bench jeweler for other designers. I found myself thinking, this is what sells, and that I needed to simplify my work to appeal to the majority of people. Over time, I started setting aside the ideas that felt most authentic to me.

Experiencing COUTURE completely changed that perspective. Seeing so many artists creating without limits and realizing there was a thriving market for highly artistic, handcrafted, and deeply personal jewelry; was incredibly liberating. I couldn’t believe there was a place where originality wasn’t just accepted but celebrated.

I only wish I had learned that lesson earlier. I spent years trying to make my work more conventional, when the pieces that truly reflected my voice were the ones I should have been making all along.

Xiao Wang:

COUTURE: What message do you want to leave for your future self in 10 years?

Xiao Wang: Paint and draw more, make more art with my hands!

C: What are 3 goals you have for the immediate future?

XW: 1) Partner with more retailers, 2) Create a new collection that adds more colors for my IceCreamCandy line, 3) Expend my custom design clients.

Anyone who wishes to participate in our Belonging @ COUTURE mentorship program, as a mentor, a mentee or one of our consulting experts, should contact Michelle Orman at [email protected].