Our Designer
Descended from a family of textile producers in Indonesia's Batik city of Pekalongan, Edwin Charmain is a multi-award-winning jewellery designer-maker specialising in the arts of Filigree making and Wire manipulation.
Inspired by Indonesian Batik Arts and Craftsmanship, Charmain combined traditional Indonesian Batik motifs with unique sequences found in natural objects and buildings. In doing so, he breathes a new life into the centuries-old batik and filigree traditions — connecting the past and the present to create the future.
“Situated between art, fashion and craftsmanship, jewellery has become a bridge to connect my cross-discipline design practices. I love working with jewellery because there are lots of techniques found in graphic design and textile production that I could implement and experiment with in the body of work. More than that, I see jewellery as a symbolic, poetic and complex storytelling medium. There is always a deeper meaning than what meets the eyes.”
Charmain holds an MA in Design: Jewellery from Central Saint Martins and a BA in Visual Communication Design from Pelita Harapan University. Recognised for his talent, he received the Exceptional Promise endorsement from Arts Council England and became a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers. His work has earned accolades at the Goldsmiths' Crafts & Design Council Awards, winning Silver in Ready-to-Wear and Bronze in Wire Innovation.
“My design is all about culture and craftsmanship. Manifesting legends and communicating feelings through iconography and symbolism in nature. Each collection is a story that is specially crafted and investigates to celebrates the life, courage and wisdom of the people who came before me and who are about to be."
Charmain has exhibited internationally at renowned events, including London Design Festival, Munich Jewellery Week, Ventura Future in Milan, Autor Romania, and NYC Jewellery Week, to name few. From his London studio, he continues to honour Indonesian batik through jewellery while fostering collaboration with Indonesian filigree craftsmen.
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AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2023 - The Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawer | GSWD | Freemen.
2023 - GC&DC x GSWD | Wire Innovation | Bronze Awardee.
2022 - GC&DC x The NAJ & BATF | Ready to Wear | Silver Awardee.
2021 - Arts Council England | Round 8: DYCP | Grants Recipient.
2020 - Arts Council England | Exceptional Promise | Endorsee.
2019 - ZLR Betriebsimperium | ZLR Jewellery Award | Nominee.
2019 - GC&DC x GSWD | Wire Innovation | Contender.
2018 - LVMH | MAISON/0 Sustainable Intelligence Design | Nominee.
PRESS
2022 - Contemporary Filigree | Filipa Oliveira. | Print.
2019 - La Republica | Ispirazione Batik. | Print.
2019 - Jewellery Focus | Spring Is In The Air | E-Magazine.
2019 - Fashion Crossover | Graduate Designer: Edwin Charmain | Web.
2018 - Gasholder | LDF: Take The King's Cross Routes. | Print.
2018 - Benchpeg | The Creative Union exhibition. | Web.
2018 - London Design Festival | Creative Union | Web.
2018 - Jeroboams | HEATH Spring 2018 | Print.
2017 - Huawei Technology | Project Fragments | Runner-Up.
2017 - Vanity Fair on Jewellery | School of Rocks | Print & Web.
EXHIBITIONS & FAIRS
2025 - Crafts Council x Goldsmiths' Company | 100 Rings Exhibit | Sommerset House, London, England.
2024 - Goldsmiths' Company | Goldsmiths' Fair 2024 | London, England.
2024 - FORGE: June Showcase | Girl with a Pearl Earring | London, England.
2024 - Crafts Council x Goldsmiths' Company | 100 Brooches Exhibit | Sommerset House, London, England.
2023 - GSWD | Treasure of Gold and Silver Wires | London, England.
2023 - Goldsmiths' Company | Goldsmiths' Fair 2023 | London, England.
2023 - Lethaby Gallery | Design Transforms 2023 | London, England.
2023 - Scottish Gallery | Contemporary Filigree | Edinburgh, Scotland.
2022 - Goldsmiths' Company | GC&DC 2022 | Goldsmiths' Crafts & Design Council.
2021 - UK ACJ | 2021 Open | Association for Contemporary Jewellery.
2020 - Katharina Kraus | Near & Elsewhere | NYC Jewellery Week.
2020 - Schmukgalerie Silbermann | Where I Draw The Line | Munich Jewellery Week.
2019 - Artistar Jewel | Milano Jewellery week 2019 | Milan.
2019 - Wanted Design | Wanted Design 2019 | Industry City, Brooklyn.
2019 - AUTOR | AUTOR Fair 2019 | National Teater, Bucharest.
2019 - Organisation In Design | Ventura Future 2019 | BASE Milano.
2019 - Schmukgalerie Silbermann | IN FLUX | Munich Jewellery Week.
2019 - Goldsmiths' Centre | Getting Started 2019 | Getting Started.
2018 - Central Saint Martins | Creative Unions | London Design Festival.
2018 - Central Saint Martins | CSM Emerge | The Degree Show Two.