Less than one year after founding her online jewellery business, Mallow & Thyme, 19-year-old Tiona Pemberton has received an invitation to present her pieces at an event held in conjunction with the 2015 Academy Awards.
The Academy Awards’ gifting suite is a private event that was developed based on the tradition of welcoming celebrities to the Oscars with a gift bag. Today, the gifting suite – organised by California-based company Celebrity Connected – takes place one day prior to the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles and acts in a similar way to a marketplace, whereby a business displays products at its own stall.
Celebrities attending the gifting suite will be given items that they have selected, and will, in return, provide marketing and exposure for the businesses by endorsing and featuring their products in red carpet appearances.
More than 80 celebrities are expected to browse the wares of the 50 businesses – or “sponsors”– exhibiting at this year’s event, which will be held on Saturday 21 February.
More than 80 celebrities are expected to browse the wares of the 50 businesses – or “sponsors”– exhibiting at this year’s event, which will be held on Saturday 21 February.
On Tuesday 27 January, Celebrity Connected associate producer Jennifer Heumann invited Pemberton to display her handmade jewellery, which features large gemstones, at the 2015 event.
“I initially found Mallow & Thyme through Facebook, and when I checked out Tiona’s website, I felt an instant connection to her jewellery,” Heumann told Jeweller.
Commenting on the invitation, Pemberton stated on her website, “Of course I was overjoyed – and slightly in disbelief – with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that had come my way.”
While Mallow & Thyme was initially established as a side project to her university studies, Pemberton appeared thrilled at the prospect of expanding the business.
“It's a dream and an unbelievably massive opportunity to grow my label,” she said.
The opportunity did not come without challenges, though. In addition to having to reportedly hand-make more than 100 pieces in less than one month, the jewellery designer said she would need to raise more than $13,000 in order to cover the costs of flights, accommodation and the gifting suite stand. To do this, Pemberton opened a fundraising website and, at the time of publication, had raised $3,195.
However, Heumann was confident that if Pemberton could make it to the event, she would be successful.
“Tiona hand-crafts one-of-a-kind pieces and strives to impart her uniquely powerful energy into each piece,” Heumann said. “I was impressed with her aesthetic, and I'm convinced that her jewellery will be a big hit with our celebrity clientele as well. Crystals and gemstones are really trending among celebrities right now, and I know they’ll connect with the striking, sophisticated, and genuine energy of Tiona’s pieces.”
Mallow & Thyme
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