Articles and News
BRAND AND RETAIL NEWS: NEW MAURICE BADLER STORE, EDWARD MIRELL’S CELEBRITY JINGLE BALL, MORE December 14, 2011 (0 comments)
Maurice Badler Launches Boutique on Park Avenue
New York, NY—Maurice Badler Fine Jewelry has opened a new flagship store at 485 Park Avenue in Manhattan (left). Owner Jeffrey Badler says it is the first new independent fine jewelry store featuring famous fashion brands to open in the city in more than 20 years.
“My goal was to create a luxurious and modern atmosphere that is also welcoming and comfortable,” he said. The store features freestanding chest-height glass vitrines with rich dark wood accents, and employs the latest in lighting techniques to create a bright, contemporary, gallery-style store, says Badler.
“It is very clean looking, with no visible locks on the showcases and no electrical outlets.” Technology plays an important role, too—all sales are rung up with iPads instead of cash registers.
Maurice Badler's new gallery interior.
The store’s tony Park Avenue location brings not only tourist traffic, but also caters to a very upscale local clientele, says Badler. “We have many of the same designers we’ve featured in the past, with many new ones added.”
Edward Mirell Jewelry Gifted to Celebrities at Local Radio Event
Deerfield Beach, FL—Edward Mirell, leading designer of contemporary metals jewelry, was requested back to radio station Y100 ‘s December 10 Jingle Ball concert event, as last year’s invited celebrities were excited to receive jewelry from the designer’s award-winning line. All participating celebrities at the 2011 event, including Kelly Clarkson, Foster the People, PitBull, and The Script, were gifted a range of Edward Mirell pendants, necklaces and bracelets from the men’s and women’s collections.
The Script’s lead singer, Danny O’Donoghue, below, was spotted on stage wearing the Edward Mirell Heritage Pendant he had just been given. The pendant is comprised of trademarked Black Ti and accented with sterling silver. Other performers such as Cody Simpson, Gym Class Heroes’ Travie McCoy, Foster the People’s Mark Foster and David Guetta also embraced the designs by wearing them immediately onstage.
Edward Mirell’s inclusion in the Y100 Jingle Ball was especially rewarding to jewelry designer, as they are based in South Florida. Adam Rosenberg, director of business development for Edward Mirell said, “We were proud to be asked to participate again this year in this incredible event. It is both humbling and moving when artists embrace the collections that our Edward Mirell design team pours their heart into.”
Palladium Alliance Makes TV Debut; Introduces New Logo
Los Angeles--Palladium Alliance International (PAI) has been very busy the past six months, launching both trade and consumer awareness campaigns and showcasing palladium jewelry on the red carpets of many events in Hollywood and New York. Now it can add national television exposure to the growing list of editorial integrations when The Ellen Degeneres Show featured a palladium and diamond pendant by manufacturer North American Jewelers during its “12 Days of Christmas Giveaways,” incidentally also giving consumers a peek at the new Palladium Alliance International logo, below.
“We were honored to have the opportunity to not only share the benefits of the metal, but to also have palladium chosen as one of the must-have gifts of the season by the No. 1 daytime talk show in America,” said Brian Kondracki, marketing manager for Palladium Alliance International.
Palladium Alliance International (PAI) is the world’s first organization dedicated to promoting palladium as a luxurious, precious, and distinctive jewelry metal. It offers opportunities for manufacturers and designers to showcase palladium pieces currently in production. Online resources include sales training and technical training videos, brochures, and FAQ sheets. Consumers looking for palladium jewelry are directed to preferred retailers and manufacturers.
Red Carpet Watch: Miley Cyrus, Emmy Rossum in Platinum
Los Angeles--Miley Cyrus (left), Emmy Rossum (right), Nina Dobrev, Krysten Ritter, and Julie Benz all wore platinum jewelry at recent red carpet events.
Miley Cyrus wore a platinum and diamond choker, and stacks of platinum and diamond rings and bracelets, all by Neil Lane, at the "2011 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" on December 11. Emmy Rossum wore platinum and diamond cluster earrings and cocktail ring by Chopard; Nina Dobrew wore platinum and diamond drop earrings and cocktail ring by Neil Lane; and Krysten Ritter (below) also wore platinum and diamond earrings and cocktail ring by Neil Lane, all at "The Ripple Effect Charity Event" in Beverly Hills on December 10.
Levinson Hosts Gucci Museum Collection
Fort Lauderdale, FL—Levinson Jewelers and Gucci co-hosted an exclusive cocktail December 8 to celebrate the iconic Gucci jewelry collection. Guests at the trunk show reviewed select styles from the Italian luxury house’s fine jewelry and watch collection and rubbed elbows with such notables as NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino and other local socialites.
Guests also viewed a special display of historic Gucci handbags in honor of the brand’s 90th anniversary and the recent opening of its Gucci Museo, located inside the historic Palazzo della Mercanzia in Florence’s Piazza Signoria in Italy. It was in 1921 that Guccio Gucci founded his company and opened his first store in Florence, with a dream and a vision that still lives on today through a heritage of icons and values that continue to inspire the design house.
Conceived by Gucci creative director Frida Giannini, the museum is a permanent exhibition from its rich and culturally significant archive, juxtaposed with contemporary art installations supported by the Pinault Foundation.
The Gucci jewelry collection incorporates signature motifs of the brand, including its Marina chain, horse bit, and GG monogram, and includes rings, bracelets, earrings, cufflinks, necklaces and pendants in 18k yellow, white, or pink gold; with or without diamonds or colored precious stones, while sterling silver is used for more urban or contemporary designs. All pieces are handcrafted by Italian goldsmiths.
Left to right: Angela Bednar from Gucci with Dan Marino, Jaclyn Fritz from Gucci and Mark Levinson
The Gucci archive exhibit at Levinson Jewelers