Jewelry
As competition in the luxury jewelry category becomes ever more intense, brands are looking into their heritage to create distinct brand positionings that will play globally.
At the center of this spirit of reinvention, the Place Vendome in Paris, the inspiration for the shape of Chanel No. 5’s bottle lid, and now the place where old narratives of jewelry brands are being respun…
“Heritage” has become the buzzword, as the traditional jewelers take on a changing competitive landscape in which branded fashion houses like Dior, Gucci or Versace are producing fine jewelry while they themselves are expanding around the globe. — (Via International Herald Tribune)
Advertising
Today, Louis Vuitton announced its first ever TV campaign - clearly based on extending the new Ogilvy strategy that debuted with Gorbachev at the Berlin Wall - less Vogue, more CNN - and with a return to the romance of travel - “We thought it was time to speak through a new media. It’s trying to express a feeling, and a certain quietude.” said Antoine Arnault, Vuitton’s head of communications.
Also, today, the first video images of the jewelry collaboration between Louis Vuitton, Blason and Pharrell Williams were just posted online. Jewelry, it seems, aimed at those who “who party all night in sixth gear”
Jewelry
Two interesting jewelry launches in Paris this week show the different paths to success in the current market.
Boucheron - celebrating its 150th birthday - previewed its one-of-a-kind “Collections Particulières, Paris” pieces, at an event where actress Julianne Moore did a nice job of summing up the appeal, “It’s nice when things are pretty, but it’s even nicer when they have a story.”
Meanwhile, across town, the long-promised jewelry collaboration between Pharrell Williams and Blason finally debuted on Avenue Foch, aimed at a new generation of consumer, it delivering a range of jewelry on a variety of themes, from Masonic symbols to fleurs-de-lis.
(Read more at Style.com)
Jewelry
This year Boucheron celebrates its 150th birthday. The jewelry, watch and fragrance specialist has a strong track-record of understanding how to balance the power of its heritage with a constant updating of its relevance.
Boucheron has a core of innovation which has sustained its 150 years of success; from being the first jeweler to open a boutique in the now jeweler-encrusted Place Vendome in Paris, to most recently, partnering on a luxury $100K handset with Vertu.
On the occasion of its 150th birthday it has launched a project based around showcasing talent; from Jeff Koons to Damien Hirst; and showcasing the evolving innovation of Boucheron in the process.
“We are confronting contemporary art with applied art, but what we really celebrate is talent,” Jean-Christophe Bédos, president and chief executive of Boucheron. “A brand’s anniversary is generally rather boring and narcissistic. The most important thing is to be ‘relevant.’” — (Via International Herald Tribune)
Jewelry
This marvelous creative gem for East Coast jewelry brand, Betteridge, does a great job at communicating the brand in a remarkably concise way.
The brand story delivers heritage, wit, and the copy tells of an unforgettable commitment to quality.
“Terry Betteridge rubs every piece of jewelry on his tie. If it catches a thread it goes back to the workshop.”
It’s exactly the kind of simple, viral brand story that captures the imagination.
Jewelry
The De Beers diamond company agreed to pay $295M last week as they lost a class action lawsuit which claimed manipulation and monopolization of the price of diamonds.
As a result of the ruling, some US consumers who bought diamonds from De Beers are eligible for a refund of up to 30%.
The De Beers response…
“The decision to resolve this matter is consistent with our continuing commitment to being a modern De Beers that is able to meet the challenges of a world-class diamond company in a dynamic and fast-changing business environment. While De Beers denies the allegations, and has therefore not admitted any wrongdoing, we have chosen to settle because we believe it is in the best interests of consumers, the industry and our business to resolve these allegations and move on.” — (DE BEERS)
Download more information from the Diamond Class Action website
And to read more abut the backstory, a fascinating article from The Atlantic in 1982 sets out the entire story of how De Beers created the new diamond economy.
Jewelry
The word ‘ethical’ covers a range of themes, but one of the growing needs among consumers is to prioritize products that have a “back-history” that is beyond reproach; unexploited labor, efficient manufacturing processes, authentic ingredients etc.Luxury brands need to have a particular point of view on this, since the aspirational appeal that is at the heart of luxury goods can easily be punctured by growing consumer awareness of unethical practices.The idea of ‘purity’ in the jewelry category is gaining a new definition.Into this space comes an initative to extend the Fairtrade label to gold…
“Although the ethical product is priced at a premium and gold is at record highs, the market has been ballooning. Among a plethora of online offers are companies including one called greenKarat that argues industrial mining methods damage the land and endanger ecosystems, so recycled gold would be better for society.British fashion designer Katharine Hamnett includes a link to Valerio’s outlet, called Cred, on her Web site. He said ethics were a strong selling point in the jewellery trade: a woman would not want to receive a gift that was tarnished by exploitation.” — (REUTERS)
Visit the GreenKarat websiteVisit the Cred Jewellery website
