From broken to shiny

For this project, I wrote a fictive narrative that follows the contrasting lives of Sophie, a jeweler's daughter in Paris, and Titi, a young girl working in a diamond mine in Sierra Leone. Their stories unfold simultaneously, through the use of an accordion-fold zine. This work delves into the stark contrast between their worlds.

 I tried to shed light on the lesser-known consequences of the diamond industry. This contrast is again highlighted by the use of white ink screen printing on black paper, adding depth to the story. The publication is presented in a symbolic ring box, again drawing attention to the contrast of glamour and hardship within these stories and the diamond trade as a whole. "From Broken to Shiny" seeks to raise awareness about the hidden truths of conflict diamonds that continue in our world.   

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Process:

This publication started from a song by Kanye West called “Diamonds from Sierra Leone”, which talks about the hardships in the diamond trade. This song interested me and I did research on the topic. I was asked to write a story and translate it into a fitting publication. I began by brainstorming, sketching, doing research on the subject and writing this story.

 To bring this concept to life, I designed an accordion-fold zine using screen-printed white ink on black paper  aiming to convey the stark contrast between the glamour and hardship within the diamond trade.

 The publication ended up in a jewelry box, adding an extra layer. This process emphasized and taught me the power of design in storytelling.