I’ve been meaning to share this for so long! Back in July, Michael Hobbes wrote an enlightening story called “The Myth of the Ethical Shopper” for the Huffington Post. There’s a cycle here in the U.S. (and other Western countries). We as consumers want inexpensive goods, which means manufacturers need to avoid steep U.S. /local…
Business
JCK Ponders Amazon’s Potential for Jewelry Sales
Rob Bates, news director of JCK Online, has been contemplating whether Amazon can succeed in the jewelry business. Amazon has had its eyes on jewelry since 2003. CLICK HERE TO READ ROB’S STORY. I’m always thinking that I’ve got to clear out my thousands of old emails, but they came in handy today when Rob…
Good Business Advice on Rue Saint-Honoré
I was in Paris this week. A few days ago, MrB and I were on the fancy shopping street Rue Saint-Honoré, making our way to concept-store Colette. I always visit Colette, though I’ve never bought anything there. I like to look at the fine jewelry cases and point out to MrB where my designs would…
The Financial Times on Consignment Practices
Big thanks to a gorgeous jewelry-industry friend for sharing a Financial Times article by Elisa Anniss called, “Retailers seem happy to let designers take the financial strain.” (You may need to create an FT ID in Twitter to read this.) The article, which explains the retail practice of selling fine jewelry on consignment, came out…
Business Lessons From Trinidad James
Rapper Trinidad James gives good interview! In 2013, I wrote about an interview he did with The Fader four months after he signed with record label Def Jam on the strength of his independently produced “All Gold Everything” video. He seemed like a sensible guy to me. When The Fader asked him, “Is getting a…
Job Opportunity … With Me!
I’m both happy and sad today. My right-hand woman Eryn has always wanted to try her hand at clothing design and, this month, an apparel company made her an offer she can’t refuse. I’m happy for Eryn, because this is a fantastic opportunity for her to get into that field. But, obviously, I’m sad for…
Jewel of the Month: Amethyst Birthstone Studs
I’m continuing to make a series of cabochon birthstone studs that you can wear alone or with my FitzRoy the cat earring jackets. Here’s a close look at a single FitzRoy with January’s birthstone, garnet. February’s birthstone is amethyst and I’ve got one pair of amethyst studs available for any end-of-the-month birthday celebrations. Amethyst is…
Wanderlust 2014: The Biennale de Paris
The French newspaper Le Monde is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and MrB was invited to the Le Monde Festival to speak on a panel about the future of journalism. After MrB did his journalism-related work, I had a little business to do. The Biennale de Paris is a show of antiques, artwork and jewelry, and…
Zang Toi, Jill Abramson, and the Jewel of the Month
Zang Toi’s Spring 2015 runway show this week reminded me that I had an outfit photo with a Zang dress that I’ve been meaning to post since May! What Wendy Wore Dress: Zang Toi (2007?) Purse: Prada (2007) Shoes: Prada (2010) I’d have to ask Zang exactly what season this dress is from, but I…
Hot Earring Trends in the Mainstream Media
Last year, I wrote a Huffington Post story called, “Not So Fast There! The Surprisingly Long Life of Fashion Trends,” in which I observed that fashion trends don’t come and go as quickly as we think they do. In fact, trends can take seasons — or even years — to develop, and then linger for…