With an emphasis on design and desire to highlight the talented names on its exhibitor list, JCK Las Vegas has announced the reimagining and redesign of its popular Design Center section for the upcoming 2016 show, which runs June 3–6. Using important feedback from its new Design Advisory Board, the Design Center will undergo an extensive makeover, including a new location: the newly renovated Bayside, Level 1 at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

With the move comes the opportunity to reenvision the Design Center’s space, leading to an open concept and fresh, chalkboard-style booths, designed to inspire and create a community feel among the exhibitors and its visitors.

The new Exhibitor Evolution Model will set brands and designers in three phases: 1) Kickstarter; 2) Rising Star; and 3) Resident Design Center. Exhibitors will be vetted annually and placed in one of the three applicable phases. Each phase consists of the following criteria:

Phase 1: Kickstarter. Kickstarter will consist of six students from jewelry and design colleges or schools and was created as a platform to launch the next generation of designers. Students will be selected by the Design Advisory Board to showcase their designs in a complimentary showcase space and will also benefit from a mentorship program.

Phase 2: Rising Star. The popular JCK Rising Star program has expanded and will now accommodate 21 up-and-coming designers (it allowed for six debuting designers in past years) who have been in the business for five years or fewer. The program, reimagined for 2016 to a multiyear opportunity for budding talents, is a cost-effective experience for those starting to make their mark in the jewelry business, with a lower-cost, smaller booth space and dedicated Design Center area. Designers residing in this phase are allowed a maximum of three years (after which they may continue into phase 3) and are afforded education and mentorship in this phase.

Phase 3: Resident Design Center. The final phase of the Design Center will showcase elite and established brands, outfitted in a premier front location of the neighborhood. This more expansive presence (100 square feet and larger), also includes lounge access, drink tickets, and merchandise credit raffle tickets to pass along to customers.

In addition to the new layout and exhibitor phases, the Design Center at JCK Las Vegas will be connecting its brands with elite, design-focused retailers through a new hosting program and exclusive networking events. The Design Center lounge will serve as the hub for daily networking, beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, retailer tours, and daily happy hours. On the evening of June 3, the neighborhood will play host to JCK’s Evening of Design, celebrating the design community and its accomplishments and recognizing the Top 50 Design Retailers along with the Editor’s Choice Awards, honoring the winning designers in all three phases.

The submission deadline for new applicants to the Design Center is Jan. 15. Visit lasvegas.jckonline.com/events/design-center for more information and to apply.

Brittany Siminitz

JCK Contributing Editor