AngloGold Ashanti has taken another bold step in the implementation of its strategy to promote greater use of gold in the fashion industry at a special function held in Johannesburg last week. Featuring the winning designs from AngloGold Ashanti?s Riches of Africa 2004 gold jewellery design competition,the 25-piece collection was selected by a renowned panel to attract attention to,and earn recognition for, Africa?s creative jewellery industry.

The collection will be taken on a year of displays and exhibitions, starting this week at the Cape Town Fashion Week, in an AngloGold Ashanti show led by international supermodel, Alex Wek.The collection will then be shown at the prestigious International Jewellery London (IJL) trade show at the Earl?s Court Exhibition Centre from September 5 to 8 and also at a special fashion show at the South Africa House in October.

The jewellery will be teamed with garments by some leading South African fashion designers in a show to celebrate 10 years of democracy in South Africa.The panel of judges at AngloGold Ashanti?s Riches of Africa 2004 gold jewellery design competition comprised an international leader in jewellery marketing, UK-based Jan Springer; jewellery designers Isa Gesseau, Gilbert Torres and Johan Louw (overall winner of last year?s competition); fashion designer Gavin Rajah; the fashion editor of Elle magazine, Shaldon Kopman,and Tina Eboka from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research of South Africa.

Entrants were required to submit three designs for pieces of jewellery in 18-carat gold which could be in yellow, rose and white gold and weigh up to a maximum weight of 400 grams. The creators of the winning designs were then provided with the gold required for the manufacture of their works by AngloGold Ashanti.

Once the pieces had been manufactured, they were then assessed according to six criteria: interpretation of the theme, originality; aesthetic impact, feasibility and functionality, visual impact,and quality of manufacture. Commenting on the initiative,Mr Daniel Owiredu, the Chief Operating Officer of AngloGold Ashanti?s West African Operations, said: "One of the major factors which guided the board of the erstwhile Ashanti Goldfields in selecting AngloGold as a partner was the South African company?s pioneering role in value addition and the promotion of gold globally.

AngloGold Ashanti is currently evaluating the significance of the Ghanaian jewellery industry in the light of the company?s global strategy on the marketing of gold, following the recent working visit of Mr Kelvin Williams, the Group Executive Director for Marketing,to Ghana." AngloGold Ashanti established the Riches of Africa competition to encourage innovative gold jewellery design and the event is used as a platform for promoting gold jewellery,particularly of South African design and manufacture, to national and international audiences.