Articles and News
BRAND NEWS: HEARTS ON FIRE’S CONSUMER AD, J. LO IN BRUMANI, BLUE NILE FOUNDER’S LATEST BABY, MORE October 12, 2011 (0 comments)
Hearts On Fire Consumer Ad Joins Blogger Brigade
Boston, MA—With a special advertising spread and contest in Harper’s Bazaar this month, Hearts On Fire is the latest company to feature a blogger as a spokesperson. Stephanie Johnson of SJ’s Style Compass is shown wearing HOF’s “Truly Triple Row Right Hand Ring”, “Hoopla” earrings, and “Brocade Bangle” bracelet. Consumers can order the look directly, with a 0% APR, 35% down payment and six monthly installments and no finance charges. At left, a close-up view with the Hearts On Fire logo at the top of the page; below, the two pages that make up the spread. Click on Johnson's picture to read her blog.
Literally ripped from the pages: Hearts on Fire's new ad spread in Harper's Bazaar, featuring blogger Stephanie Johnson of SJ's Style Compass.
High/Low: Target, Bauble Bar Launch Designer Jewelry Collaborations
New York, NY—Fashion jewelry designer Erickson Beamon has partnered with accessories e-tailer Bauble Bar for its second mass-market collaboration. Its first, in 2009, was a successful collection for Target, the cheap-chic discounter who made these kinds of designer collaborations famous. (Missoni, anyone?) Target, meanwhile, will launch a limited edition line designed by Dana Kellin, on October 30.
Both designers are known for high-end fashion jewelry—price points that, while well below what they would be if executed in fine jewelry—still pack a punch with fashionistas. Erickson Beamon’s series for Bauble Bar is called “Fusion,” and features seven pieces ranging in price from $65 to $250. Pieces are available in three different color groups—brights, “dirty diamond” and pearl, and crystal, reports Women’s Wear Daily.
Kellin’s line for Target starts at $9.99. Past jewelry designer collaborations for the retailer have included both Temple St. Clair and Dominique Cohen.
Dana Kellin's colorful pieces, such as this one seen on Fragments' website, left, serve as the inspiration for her low-end collection that debuts for Target at the end of the month. At right, a piece from last year's Temple St. Clair for Target collection.
Erickson Beamon co-founder Karen Erickson calls their new Bauble Bar line “populuxe,” meaning popularly priced but still luxurious—a word coined by author Thomas Hines in his so-named book, below, chronicling the post-war consumerist boom of the 1950s and early 1960s that drove American manufacturers to ever greater stretches of design.
De Beers To Launch Venture Capital Group
Santa Clara, CA—De Beers will soon start funding start-up companies that use its man-made diamonds for applications ranging from optics to water treatment to semiconductors.
According to this article on Forbes.com, Element Six Ventures Group is the investment arm of Element Six, De Beers’ independently managed subsidiary that works to develop and produce synthetic diamonds. Since 2006, the company has invested in seven companies in the clean-tech, semiconductor and electronics sectors.
Celebrity Spotting: J-Lo, Cote de Pablo, Constance Marie all in Brumani
Los Angeles, CA—Brazllian jeweler Brumani was well represented on three famous faces recently. Jennifer Lopez was spotted by paparazzi on the set of her latest video, wearing Brumani earrings from the “Looping” collection, in yellow and white gold and diamonds. Actress Cote de Pablo wore earrings and a ring from the “Baobab” collection in yellow gold with round brown diamonds, aquamarine, ruby, and pink tourmaline, to the 2011 NCLR ALMA Awards held last month in Santa Monica, CA. Actress Constance Marie wore jewelry from the firm’s “Balalaika” collection in yellow and white gold with round diamonds and citrine, for the awards as well.
J. Lo, above, and Cote de Pablo, below left, and Constance Marie, below right, all sported Brumani jewels in recent apperances.
1,650 S.F. Cartier Boutique Bows in Saks
New York, NY—Cartier unveiled a new boutique at the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue—just blocks away from its own Fifth Avenue flagship—on Monday. This is the second Saks shop for the luxury jeweler; the first opened in Dadeland, Miami, FL in 2003.
The new 1,650-square-foot space will carry the Panthère de Cartier, Trinity and Love jewelry collections, as well as one-off creations, engagement rings, and bridal jewelry. In watches, it will offer the Ballon Bleu, Tank, Santos, Pasha and Roadster lines, plus the new Delicés de Cartier and Calibre de Cartier.
Cartier has 34 freestanding stores in the U.S. and two in Canada. Read more in Women’s Wear Daily here.
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Watch from the Calibre de Cartier collection. Photo: Women’s Wear Daily.
Blue Nile Founder Changes Love, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage
Seattle, WA—Retail jewelers have no love lost for Mark Vadon, the founder of Blue Nile, but at least his next venture won’t keep the jewelry industry up at night.
Blue Nile was born 12 years ago out of Vadon’s own well-documented frustration while shopping for an engagement ring. Today, with $310 million in sales and $480 million in market capitalization according to an article on Forbes.com, Blue Nile blasted apart the industry’s belief that nobody would buy an expensive diamond without seeing or touching it.
Now, reports Forbes, he’s made another hit with Zulily, a flash-sale site he launched two years ago when, as a new father, he clearly found shopping for baby clothes as frustrating as he did diamond rings.
“Moms spend more than any other category online, and sizes in kids’ clothes don’t matter,” he told Forbes. Given that the site doesn’t take returns, he’d better hope he’s right on that score.
Frederique Constant Launches Adds Automatic to Heart Beat Collection
Geneva, Switzerland—Watchmaker Frédérique Constant Genève introduces the new Heart Beat Manufacture GMT Automatic. The new collection is comprised of six models, each a limited edition of 1,888 pieces in stainless steel and 188 in18K gold, each packaged in a luxurious wooden gift box.
The 30.5 mm diameter mechanical watches, below, have two-time-zone functionality, a 42-hour power reserve, 27 jewels, a KIF anti-shock system, a Glucydur balance, and a Nivarox balance spring.
Dior Pulls All Divisions Under One Roof Online
Paris, France—Christian Dior’s new website, uniting its fashion, jewelry, watches, accessories, and cosmetics all under one roof--or should we say banner--debuts this week. Women’s Wear Daily reports that while the site does have limited e-commerce capability—cosmetics can be purchased online in the United States—its primary goal is to engage younger consumers and reinforce the brand’s heritage, luxury, and couture roots. With every category, viewers have an option to watch the product being made. CEO Sidney Toledano told WWD, “I want to make sure we get across this high-quality point of view.” The site is designed to feel like one is entering a Dior boutique, but each category designer (such as Victoire de Castellane for its fine jewelry) was given some latitude in how his or her “department” looks online.
A New Way to Invest in Fashion
Paris, France—Couture fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier has designed a one-off gold bar, below, for French investment house CPoR Devises, reports Women’s Wear Daily. The one troy ounce bar is engraved with the designer’s name and heart motif; orders can be placed starting October 14.
