L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, launches L’ÉCOLE Festival

13 FEB 2025

L’ÉCOLE Middle East, School of Jewelry Arts, supported by Van Cleef & Arpels, is delighted to announce the launch of L’ÉCOLE Festival, running from February 14 – 15. Hosted in strategic partnership with Dubai Design District (d3), a global creative ecosystem by TECOM Group PJSC, L’ÉCOLE Festival will honour jewellery arts and establish itself as an annual key moment on Dubai’s art and cultural calendar.

L’ÉCOLE Middle East will offer an exciting lineup of engaging outdoor experiences that showcase the school’s expertise across its three pillars: Art History, Savoir-Faire and Gemology. The festival will reflect L’ÉCOLE’s commitment to fostering creativity, education and transmission within the UAE and beyond.

Sophie Claudel, Director of L’ÉCOLE Middle East, shared her excitement: “L’ÉCOLE Festival is a celebration of everything we stand for at L’ÉCOLE – sharing knowledge, inspiring creativity, and building community. By opening our doors to the public in such a dynamic and joyful way, we hope to engage families, students, and jewellery enthusiasts alike, creating unforgettable moments and sparking new passions for the jewellery arts.”

Khadija Al Bastaki, Senior Vice President of d3, part of TECOM Group, said: “The future of design demands that we forge platforms that foster rich dialogue, awareness and engagement to shape sustainable growth and innovation. Since joining our global creative community, L’ÉCOLE has been at the forefront of hosting innovative and engaging exhibitions and events such as this upcoming Festival that invite individuals to immerse in the legacy of jewellery craftsmanship and emphasise the complexity of design within and beyond the creative industries.”

Highlights of L’ÉCOLE Festival

Discover L’ÉCOLE’s three pillars: Audiences can explore the jewellery arts world through an engaging display of the various courses available from Art History, Savoir-Faire and Gemology.
Explore creativity through kids’ activities: Inspiring the next generation with fun, creative workshops tailored to young minds ages from 6 to 16 years old.
Join the conversations with jewellery experts: Over the two days, visitors can attend and engage in thought-provoking in-person conversations led by L’ÉCOLE’s experts and lecturers.
Enjoy outdoor cinema in collaboration with Cinema Akil: Celebrate jewellery’s iconic role in the cinematic arts with a curated programme.
Local partnerships showcase: A dedicated gallery spotlighting L’ÉCOLE’s collaborations with prominent local initiatives, including d3; Dubai Culture & Arts Authority with the Talent Atelier Programme; Dubai Public Library and the L’ÉCOLE Library Corner at Al Safa Library; Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) through the Design Fund Award; Dubai Cares and the Youth Education Initiatives; Department of Economy & Tourism in Dubai (DET), as well as the UAE French Embassy and the Institut Français.

L’ÉCOLE Festival will be open to residents and visitors alike to explore the fascinating world of jewellery arts.

Event details

Date: February 14 & 15, 2025
Location: Dubai Design District (d3), near building 10
Timing: 12pm to 10pm
Admission: Free and open to the public
Registration required via this link

About L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

Established in 2012 with the support of Van Cleef & Arpels, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts aims to introduce the public to all aspects of jewelry culture. It is an initiation school, open to everyone – complete beginners as well as enlightened amateurs, collectors and those with a curiosity for the world of jewelry.

L’ÉCOLE offers courses in three major fields: the history of jewelry, the world of gemstones and the savoir-faire of jewelry-making techniques, taught by art historians, gemologists, jewelers and artisans. The classes are all practice-based and the students experiment with gestures, skills and tools, guided by their lecturers. It also offers other activities: exhibitions, books, videos, podcasts as well as in-person and online talks. Creative workshops were also created for children and teenagers.

L’ÉCOLE now has five permanent locations: two in Paris, one in Hong Kong, one in Shanghai and one in Dubai. Moreover, since its inception, L’ÉCOLE regularly travels abroad, in Europe, America, Asia and the Middle East, for talks, exhibitions or travelling course programs that can last one to three weeks. L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts therefore contributes to the promotion and visibility of jewelry culture on an international scale.

About Dubai Design District (d3)

Dubai Design District (d3), a member of TECOM Group PJSC, is a global creative ecosystem dedicated to design, fashion, architecture and art. In line with Dubai’s position as the leading business destination for the region and beyond, d3 is an industry-pioneering concept that enables people and businesses to grow and co-create whilst simultaneously providing a solid platform for creativity. Strategically located in the heart of Dubai, d3 is one of the city’s lifestyle and business districts that challenges thousands of people to rethink the regular.

With state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to meet the needs of the industry and a business-friendly framework, the community offers creative talent the tools for collaboration and growth, further reinforcing Dubai’s status as a UNESCO Creative City of Design. d3 is a cutting-edge retail district offering a variety of multi-brand boutiques, fashion brands, and art and design studios. The world’s leading luxury brands, design companies and creatives, including architects, interior designers, photography studios, product and fashion designers, call d3 home. Some of the region’s most popular events take place in d3 and attract international artists and audiences to cultural and fashion exhibitions and gatherings such as Dubai Design Week, Dubai Fashion Week and Sole DXB. The district also regularly hosts a roster of industry talks, workshops and educational programming, accessible to people of all ages.

d3 is home to TECOM Group PJSC’s business incubator – in5 – that aims to support the fashion and design industries by offering students and entrepreneurs the opportunity to transform their ideas into successful commercial ventures. This ecosystem is further supported by the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (DIDI), the region’s only university exclusively dedicated to design and innovation, which offers a curriculum crafted with the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The New School's Parsons School of Design. The district also features the city's first canal side recreational development, The Block. The open-air destination offers a range of different outdoor and leisure areas including a basketball and volleyball court, a skate park, outdoor gym and climbing wall.

For more information, please visit www.dubaidesigndistrict.com