Andrea Fonseka, socialites glam up La Putri's 40th anniversary

Andrea Fonseka, socialites glam up La Putri's 40th anniversary

SINGAPORE - Fine jeweller La Putri celebrated its 40th anniversary with a gala of socialites and beauty queen, and the inauguration of the La Putri Outstanding Jewellery Designer Competition in November.

Held at the Four Seasons Hotel Singapore, the exclusive gala saw the region's elite and socialites such as Susanna Kang, Linda Widjarta and Kelly Sia dressed in their glitzy gowns to the theme of 'Ruby Runway'.

Former Miss Malaysia Andrea Fonseka, awarded the winners, Kim Hee Eun, a student from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, and Doreen Tan, a self-employed homemaker, cash prizes of $4,000 each and a chance to fly to Hong Kong for the International Jewellery Show in March 2014.

The competition was to discover, recognise and nurture designers who are passionate about the art and craft of jewellery, said La Putri. Competitors were required to design a piece or a set of jewellery for Andrea Fonseka, who is the 'face' of the competition, using rubies - the gemstone for the Malaysian brand's 40th anniversary.

The evening celebrations at the Four Seasons' ballroom continued with a silent auction to raise funds for iC2, a charity started by Dr Andrey Looi and Dr Ang Beng Ti to help visually-impaired children.

Six exquisite pieces of jewellery were put up for auction, including a goldfish brooch from La Putri's latest collection. The brooch featured diamonds, ruby cabochons and the highest quality natural South Sea baroque pearl.

Luxury jeweller La Putri was founded by late socialite Wan Ming Chin in Malaysia and made its debut in Singapore around 12 years ago. La Putri provides fine jewellery for Asia's elite including socialites, celebrities and even members of the region's royal families.

wjeanne@sph.com.sg

This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.