Jewelry Business Guru by Cindy Edelstein

JewelryBizGuru Blog has moved to CindyEdelstein.com

Finally! I've got a new look, a new name and a new blog at www.CindyEdelstein.com. I'm so excited!

Expect a lot more content and please don't be shy to comment or ask questions on the new site. CindyEdelstein.com offers a lot more information on the rest of our projects and events, too. So much to share! I hope you join me there.

 

Palladium Alliance Taps Vivian Westwood for Jewelry Line

Palladium Alliance International is teaming with Dame Vivienne Westwood to launch a collection of jewelry inspired by nature, reports by Samantha Conti in WWD Issue 01/18/2011.

The limited edition “Get a Life” Palladium Collection will make its debut at London Fashion Week in February, and the designs will be sold exclusively at Westwood’s boutiques in London and Los Angeles starting in the spring, PAI told WWD.

Palladium is a precious metal that comes from the same family as platinum, and is known for its natural whiteness and light weight. Generally, palladium costs less than platinum, although the prices for both metals are set to rise over the next five to 10 years as shortages increase, according to financial analysts.

The pieces in the collection are inspired by nature and by pagan symbols such as the acorn, the oak tree and the heart. The collection will feature pendants, bracelets, earrings and rings for men and women. Prices will range from 275 pounds to 550 pounds, or $435 to $869 at current exchange. Clients will also be able to commission bespoke pieces.

Westwood said she took on the project to highlight her concern for the environment. “‘Get a Life’ is about how we stop climate change and therefore preserve life for the next generation while at that same time get a better life,” the iconoclastic designer said. “My focus at the moment is what one person can do. Stop climate change. Save the planet. The acorn is symbolic of the rainforest, its importance, and how it is our first duty to save it.”

PAI underlined the sustainable, environmentally friendly aspects of palladium: It is naturally white, maintains its color over time, and is lightweight and durable.

John Stark, chairman of PAI, said the organization picked Westwood because of “her continued exploration and reinterpretation of history, combined with a tireless individualism. Her designs will complement our metal,” he said.

PAI is also moving forward on other fronts. In London, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design has created a design competition among its jewelry students to create a two-piece set of jewelry. The five most inspirational designs will be produced, in a limited edition, using palladium, and the winner will be revealed in March.

In the U.S., students from Fashion Institute of Technology’s jewelry design program will collaborate with fashion and lifestyle bloggers to create a bespoke collection of palladium jewelry that will be unveiled in the spring.

 

 

Who deserves to be a Design Star?

I can't get this article out of my mind: it published weeks ago but I keep thinking about it. Being in the business of helping designers -- both newcomers and those that have arrived -- I ruminate on the topic a lot.

The New York Times' Eric Wilson covered the glamorous and self-promoting 2010 CFDA Fashion Awards event on June 7th. The tenor of the article is "who deserves stardom?" And it addresses the age old tug of war between talent and fame; longevity vs. newness.

                    He writes:

It is, after all, hard to say who has real talent and staying power or merely the ability to sell themselves effectively, which is why, at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards ceremony, some provocative comments made by Kim Hastreiter, a founder of Paper magazine, struck a nerve that was in sharp contrast to a night that is normally dominated by a spirit of self-congratulation.

“Just because you’re cute, connected, rich and famous doesn’t necessarily mean you design great stuff,” Ms. Hastreiter said on stage. “We’ve got to stop with this ‘one day you’re in, the next day you’re out’ business. How can you be a genius today and the next year you’re not, because you are off trend?”

I often refer to the luck of the draw, the "one hit wonders" and the yoke of success in all my marketing seminars. And conversely of not stagnating and missing trends that consumers want to buy.

We talk about those in relation to the more prosaic acts of bookkeeping, paying ones dues and knocking on countless doors. There's such a need for basic business knowledge -- and more important, mastery -- that talent alone is the bare minimum job requirement of a entrepreneur.

But it always looks easy for the "other guy." I have yet to find a designer who didn't find greener grass in someone else's yard. No matter how verdant their own plot may be.

We're all seduced by the newest hot designer -- often whom we assume has great heat based on their press coverage or showcase location in Bergdorf's, Neimans or Ylang23/Twist/Moondance Jewelry. We rarely, if ever, know how hot their bank account is and that, of course, is the truest measure of business success.

I've now been around long enough to witness the long and short lifecycles of some very famous, and a few infamous, jewelry designers.

I can tell you for sure -- when it comes to true success it ain't about the jewels. It most often comes down to the marketing and the operations. Marketing to create the desire and operations to sustain the growth.

While I too am often seduced by the design, the designer and the inspiration -- I am now impressed more with the discipline, the command of numbers and the execution of good strategy. I am now more turned on by a spreadsheet firmly in the black than the most colorfully unique design. 

There is a rather low barrier to entry in this field -- even when working with precious materials you can find the cash to start a line. But the ability to grow a business is way more impressive. And way, way harder to do.

And while passion is certainly on the top of the list of traits needed to run your own design firm -- it is closely followed by discipline. And diligence. 

It takes time to develop these skills even if you come by the trait naturally. To quote Michael Kors in the article:

“I waited three years before I ever had a fashion show, and by the time I did I had a business,” Mr. Kors said. “Today the spotlight is so quick that it’s really hard to start anything under the radar today. I don’t know if you can still let a business percolate and grow naturally.” But it is a fact that there are more aspiring designers than ever before. “It may be easier to become a designer, but it’s a lot harder to make it as a designer,” said Mr. Spurr, who trained at Yves Saint Laurent before starting his men’s wear label. “There are a lot of people out there with no training at all, but you have to understand the business side, the public relations, the production and the shipping.”

Read the whole article here.

Robert Lee Morris awarded for his lifetime achievement in silver jewelry designs

 Silver Marketing International (SMI) has honored Robert Lee Morris with the prestigious “Designer of Distinction” award. Celebrating Morris’ 40 years of unsurpassed artistry in silver and his 11 years as one of QVC’s premier jewelry designers, the award was presented at QVC in West Chester, Pa. on Saturday, August 29^th.

 

The ceremony, which was in conjunction with Morris’ QVC appearance in the Sterling Designer Gallery broadcast was led by Michael C. Barlerin, director of the SMI.

 

“There could not be a more appropriate recipient of SMI’s inaugural ‘Designer of Distinction’ award than Robert,” Barlerin said. “His work over the years reflects the forefront of jewelry as wearable art.  While Robert has earned multiple prestigious honors and awards in the fashion, accessory and jewelry industries, his passion for silver and his pure, sensual and iconic work in this magical metal remain his hallmark.”

QVC Sterling Designer Preview Event - inperson AND on TV

Guess I never thought about it since I'm too far away but I think it's cool to actually go to QVC to meet the designers and watch the tapings. This Friday is a BIG day for them ... the Sterling Designer Event with so many key designers and the meet and greet is on Friday Aug. 28th at 7:00 to 8:30 PM ET. The shows start with Robert Lee Morris at midnight  --  here's a link to the whole schedule.

I hear Robert will be given a very special award by the Silver Institute during his show. I'll be cheering from my couch!

The roster of designers includes some of our friends and favorites like the team at Anthony Nak, Elizabeth Rand, Elizabeth Showers, Barbara Bixby, Carolyn Pollack, Seidengang and so many more.

Guess I'll be watching QVC all weekend!

Go to the QVC website if you're interested in attending their Big event. Wish I lived closer......

 

From Robert's QVC Blog:

Most of my air time on SILVER DESIGNER DAY, (this Saturday, Aug. 29) will be devoted to the theme of hearts, crosses and iconic symbols of POSITIVITY. I will be on from midnight to 2am then, prime time Sat, morning (EST) from 9-11am. I'm thrilled to be a part of a very unique day on QVC whereby many new designers will be introduced including my CFDA peer, Dean Harris, a real talent!

Below I have listed an important page to visit: it announces that I will be receiving a major honor, the Designer of Distinction award from Silver Marketing International. You will be able to watch a video clip of me receiving the award during my on air appearances.

globalDESIGN 09 - great jewelry designers + great retailers = beauty for all

Yurman, Good, Munsteiner to Teach Master Jewelry Classes @ Revere Academy -- Scholarship Contest Offered

The Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts has announced the creation of a new all-expenses-paid scholarship for one recipient to attend a master class of their choice at the school's upcoming International Masters Symposium.

The April event will mark the Revere Academy's 30th anniversary and features an impressive celebrity lineup, including classes to be taught by David Yurman, Michael Good, Bernd Munsteiner and Kent Raible, among many other notable names.

The scholarship, dubbed the Mort Abelson Scholarship in honor of the founder of the JA Show's New Designer Gallery, will provide the recipient with tuition and fees, lodging and air travel expenses from anywhere in the United States to San Francisco.

A contest will be held to select one scholarship winner. The contest is open to anyone in the United States and Canada, and applications will be accepted until Jan. 2, 2009, through an online application posted on Callforentry.org. Designers are asked to submit five digital images of their jewelry, answer two essay questions and provide a $25 entry fee. A jury composed of Mort Abelson, Alan Revere and Cindy Edelstein of the Jewelers Resource Bureau will select the winner based on work that exemplifies original, innovative and high-quality jewelry design

For more information, visit the Revere Academy's Web site, RevereAcademy.com/Guide/Scholarship/Mort-Ableson-Scholarship/.

See you in Philly at globalDESIGN - the showcase of exceptional jewelers

globalDESIGN, our international showcase of exceptional jewelers, returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center this week, Friday February 15th through Sunday February 17th from 9am to 7pm.

We're just steps away from Buyer's Market of American Craft in room 202 of the Convention Center. And have been for two years. Before then we were in the attached Marriott hotel. Our bigger room in the Convention Center is much better -- more room for schmoozing and socializing and sitting down to view the collections.

Our show is very unique; it looks more like a trunk show than a trade show. We offer the fine jewelry buyers an intimate setting to peruse the collections of 20 exceptional jewelry artisans. We serve breakfast and snacks and wine in the evenings. It's a very civilized way to work!

Joining us this year are:

Aaron Henry  ~  Alex Sepkus   ~  Alishan   ~  Daphna Simon   ~  Deborrah Daher   ~   Didi Suydam   ~  Emily Armenta   ~  Gellner  ~  Gurhan   ~  Jane Bohan   ~  Janis Kerman   ~  Jerry Spaulding  ~  Mauri Pioppo   ~  Monica Rich Kosann    ~  Pamela Froman   ~ Sevan Bicakci   ~  Stephanie Albertson   ~  Sugarman ~ Frantz    ~  Vicente Agor ~ ViewPoint

All fine jewelry retailers are invited to attend -- and press is more than welcome, too! Designers are welcome to stop by, too, just to say hello and to meet our team. We might even blog onsite -- you never know who'll you meet there!

 

Gurhan Celebrates 10 Years in Business

What a lovely way to celebrate a 10th anniversary... with a party designed to thank and honor those who helped you reach that milestone -- like your first customer, and your IT consultant, and your lawyer and the editor who gave you your first magazine feature. That's just what Fiona Tilley and Gurhan Orhan -- owners of GURHAN -- did this evening.

It was a swanky cocktail party for 100+ where nearly everyone was the guest of honor -- or at least made to feel that way by the gracious couple who have created one of the most successful designer businesses of our time.

Due to their  accumulated genius -- in both business and design --- they've grown from a two-person entrepreneurship  in NYC to a multinational corporation with nearly 100 people  going full steam ahead. One thing that hasn't changed though is Gurhan's prolific designs (and their gracious charm!).

Part of their success in the marketplace is due to the fact that no matter who you are or what you're looking for there's something for you in the line. Big, small; simple or jangly; colorful or plain and everything inbetween. What retailer can resist taking the line in their store when there's something for nearly every customer? And the work is backed up with great  craftsmanship, service, respect and personalized attention to every detail. [TIP: having as much width and depth to your line as possible maximizes your sales potential -- give everyone something to buy!] Those are points every designer can learn from the Gurhan team.

We had a great time at the party reminiscing and feelin' the love. It's great to see two very talented people reach milestones in their business celebrating with full gusto and even more grace.

I hope you all get to feel that way sometime in your business -- whatever size and scope you aim to be.

Henry Dunay Jewelry Book Signing -- Celebrating 50 years of Design

Famed Designer Henry Dunay had a wonderful party this evening to celebrate the debut of his first coffee table book "Henry Dunay A Precious Life."

The book is beautiful, filled with dozens and dozens of photos of Henry's masterpieces from the past 50 years. Marion Fasel and Penny Proddow wrote the text and the photos were taken over the years by Dallas jewelry photographer  extraordinaire John Parrish.

It's an inspiring read for any designer.