GJEPC, the apex body of gem &jewellery trade in India, organized the Exporter and GCC Designers’ Workshop at the Bharat Ratnam Mega CFC, SEEPZ in Mumbai on 17th July. The event marked a key milestone in the lead-up to SAJEX (Saudi Arabia Jewellery Exposition), GJEPC’s first-ever show in Saudi Arabia, scheduled from 11th to 13th September 2025 at the Jeddah Superdome.
The workshop was
inaugurated by Mr. Milan Chokshi, Chairman, Indian Institute
of Gems & Jewellery (IIGJ) Mumbai and Mr. Sabyasachi Ray, Executive
Director, GJEPC, along with distinguished designers and industry stakeholders.
A special welcome was extended to Ms. Mahima Varma and Mr.
Tarun Jain, Founders of the World Academy of Design, Dubai, who partnered
with GJEPC to bring six leading GCC-based designers to collaborate with Indian
manufacturers.
These six designers —
Nadiyah Ghurmullah Alghamdi, Nouf Abdulaziz Sehli, Haifa Khaled Saeed
GathnanAlhadhrami, Fahima Saif Rashed Bakhit Alfalasi, Abeer Hussein Othman
Yahya, and Fatimah Mohammed A Alsofi — travelled to Mumbai for this creative
workshop focused on jewellery design trends in Saudi Arabia and GCC markets.
They shared valuable insights and interacted closely with a select group of
Indian exporters.
Delivering the keynote
address, Mr. Sabyasachi Ray expressed his optimism about the
initiative: “This design workshop marks a crucial step in deepening India’s
engagement with the fast-evolving Saudi jewellery market. With Saudi’s
jewellery market expected to grow from $4.5 billion to $8.5 billion by 2030,
this is a timely initiative. The collaboration between Indian manufacturers and
GCC-based designers will help create region-specific collections that reflect
Saudi sensibilities while showcasing India’s manufacturing strength. SAJEX 2025
is not just an India show; it’s envisioned as a world jewellery show, and this
workshop lays the foundation for its long-term success. Saudi has a young,
affluent, and globally minded audience looking for style and substance — and
India is perfectly poised to meet that demand.”
Adding to the
sentiment, Mr. Milan Chokshi highlighted the broader design
evolution taking place. “This initiative has the potential to spark something
truly exciting in design. Indian jewellery design has evolved from referencing
catalogues to creating original, contemporary pieces rooted in Indian heritage
but made for the world. Today, as the Middle East undergoes its own
transformation, this is a chance for GCC designers to draw from their own
cultural identity and collaborate with Indian manufacturers to build something
unique and globally relevant. The future belongs to original design — and this
is where it begins.”
Bringing in the
perspective of cross-cultural collaboration, Mr. Tarun Jain underlined
the value of the exchange: “This collaboration is more than just a design
exercise — it’s about building a communication bridge between Indian
manufacturers and the evolving Gulf market. The designers we’ve brought in are
visionaries who understand not only current trends but also future market
demands. They’ll help manufacturers align their capabilities with regional
preferences and guide them in communicating effectively with buyers at SAJEX.
This mutual exchange of knowledge and creativity will lay the groundwork for
long-term success in the GCC.”
Mahima Verma offered a detailed overview of consumer
behaviour across the GCC region.
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