Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Award recipient announced

Jameel Mohammed, founder and designer of Khiry, an afrofuturist luxury jewelry brand established in 2016, made history last night as the first recipient of the inaugural Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer Award.

“I have long believed in the power of Tiffany & Co. as an American luxury brand. I am an American luxury designer and I am really excited to be where I belong,” Mohammed said ecstatically as he accepted the award during a cocktail reception held at The Landmark, Tiffany & Co.’s Fifth Avenue flagship.

In October 2024, 10 jewelry designers including Mohammed began their journey as the first participants of the Tiffany & Co. x CFDA Jewelry Designer program, dedicated to recognizing American jewelry designers committed to driving inclusivity within the industry.

Throughout the four-month program, the designers received mentorship from Tiffany & Co.’s design team, received tours of The Landmark as well as the House of Jewelry Design and Innovation Workshop, and received in-depth lectures focused on topics ranging from visual merchandising to gemstones. The participants were also tasked with designing a final presentation that paid homage to Tiffany & Co.’s heritage and inventiveness.

Through winning this prestigious award, Mohammad will receive 50,000 dollars and a one-year paid fellowship with Tiffany & Co.’s design department.

“It’s really not just an opportunity for the ten designers but it’s creating opportunity beyond this room, showing what is possible to our next class,” CFDA CEO Steven Kolb stated during the award reception.

Mohammed is a Chicago, Ill. native who now resides in Brooklyn, NY. His start within the jewelry design industry began when a necklace he designed caught the eye of an executive team member at Barneys New York which resulted in an internship with the company.

“I have always sketched across categories from ready-to-wear to furniture and accessories,” he told the CFDA. “Jewelry was an accessible way to start to bring my visions to life. I also think it’s an incredible way to make pieces which will stand the test of time in people's lives and families, in a way that has always been an important goal of my work.”