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Rachel Platten, Bar Paly, Mario Lopez Highlight Le Vian Red Carpet Revue | June 22, 2016 (0 comments)
Las Vegas, NV—At its annual Red Carpet Revue fashion and trend forecast event, Le Vian highlighted blue and blush tones as its main color trend of the year. The two colors are closely aligned with Pantone’s 2016 Color Of The Year, this year tied between Rose Quartz and Serenity.
The two-hour Le Vian event, which took place June 5, was packed with celebrities from both television and high fashion, as well as industry guests and consumer collectors of Le Vian jewelry.
Bar Paly, star of the hit TV show NCIS: Los Angeles and the just released thriller Urge with Pierce Brosnan, conducted interviews with guests who sipped on signature cocktails inspired by this year’s jewelry trends. Master of ceremonies Mario Lopez made an unexpected appearance before the show, Avril Graham, executive fashion and beauty editor of Harper’s Bazaar magazine narrated the live fashion show, and Rachel Platten (left) wrapped up the event by performing three of her hit songs including the chart-topping Fight Song.
Bar Paley arrives on the red carpet, above, and master of ceremonies Mario Lopez interviewed guests on the red carpet before the event began.
CEO Eddie LeVian was on hand with company president Moossa LeVian for photo-ops with VIP guests. After the red carpet, the event began with a special introduction of the entire LeVian family: Eddie and Moossa, along with Larry LeVian, chairman, and two sisters, Elizabeth Etessami and Suzy Liviem, the current generation running the iconic brand.
Click here to watch an exclusive video of the brothers’ opening welcome to the fashion show.
Eddie and Moossa also gave a dedication to their father and mother, Abdulrahim Efraim and Pary LeVian, telling the assembled guests the story of their mother, Pary, greeting refugees with meals, and how their father traveled to America to found the company in 1950. He passed away 16 years ago.
The brothers then introduced some of the next generation of LeVians: Emmanuel Etessami, Jonathan, Lexy, Josh, Jason, and Alexa LeVian, each of whom are taking on greater roles in the company. Each took a turn announcing one of the Trends of 2017:
Gemstone of the Year: Neopolitan Opal. Opal was an extremely popular gem this year throughout both the JCK and Couture shows, with many designers adding it to their collections. Le Vian featured gems from a new find in Ethiopia, and set them amid its signature Chocolate and Vanilla diamonds. A deeper red version of the Ethiopian opal was named Cinnamon Opal and also featured prominently in necklaces and earrings.
Color of the Year: Blues and Blush. Le Vian’s take on the popular colors extended far beyond the two shades highlighted by Pantone. Paraiba tourmaline was highlighted in the brand’s luxury collections, while Blueberry Zircon brought a similar hue to its more affordable lines. Other collections featured turquoise (descriptively dubbed “Robin’s Egg”), traditional blue topaz, cornflower blue Ceylon sapphire, and Cobalt Kyanite. Le Vian’s choice for blush tones remains its popular Peach Morganite, while additional color trends included bi-color blue and blush and sunny yellow diamonds.
Above: Robin's egg turquoise and two trends in one: blush-toned peach morganite in a ring designed with swirls to represent movement.
Shape of the Year: Sugar Loaf. The edgy square-conical sugarloaf motif (below) is hugely popular in shoes and accessories—evidenced by luxury brands like Christian Louboutin and Valentino’s famed “Rock Stud” collection. Le Vian tapped it as the up-and-coming shape for fashion jewelry.
Design Trend of the Year: Movement. Whether literal in pieces that move and swing, or figurative in swirling motifs that appear to have movement, static design is passé. Le Vian featured a variety of rings, earrings, and necklaces that dance and swing—or just look like they do.
Item of the Year: Wristwear. Maybe it’s the fascination with wearable technology such as the Apple Watch or the FitBit, but the focus this year is on the wrist. Le Vian introduced a series of both bracelet and wrapped watches, as well as its signature bracelets to be piled on with it and, of course, a luxurious Le Vian handbag to swing jauntily from the wrist.
After the trends were announced, Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey in a special video greeting termed Le Vian “An unrivalled fashion legacy: always delighting, dazzling, inspiring, and bringing magic to our pages.” Graham followed with the live fashions show presentation of models wearing jewelry, scarves, and handbags from Le Vian’s newest Red Carpet and Couture lines.
In a special surprise, Andie Weinman, co-owner of Continental Buying Group and Preferred Jewelers International, made a fierce and fabulous appearance as a guest model, amid thunderous applause from her many friends in the industry.
Andie Weinman rocks it at the Red Carpet Revue
Though informative, the event was first and foremost a benefit for Jewelers for Children and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The first $150,000 rasied from the audience went to JFC; all additional funds raised over and above benefitted St. Jude. Le Vian contributed matching funds for all donations to St. Jude. The first donation of the evening was a cool $50,000.
Finally, the event wrapped up with a lively performance by Platten, who performed three hit songs.