Look Book

16 www.thejewelrybook.com l e t t e r e d i t o r ' s Editor's Letter The Spring issue of The Jewelry Book is always an exciting one to write…this is the issue that comes to Vegas! During the weeks it takes to prepare this issue – doing research, gathering information, conducting phone interviews, collecting images – I am privileged to work with the best of the business. Many of you answer my calls from subways, in airports, late at night (or early in the morning!) and from across the world. Your families or your employees rustling in the background, the office line ring- ing from your work space as we speak on your cellphone, a litany of important but sometimes tedious emails from me that you tolerate with good humor, and always a prompt and efficient reply to my many demands. For all of these kindnesses, I thank you. Telling your stories is a great joy for me. To listen deeply to the story – the real story – behind a company history. The story that is about your life whether this is about your own entrepreneurial spirit and the future you are building, or it is the adventurous family that came before you seeking a dream or escaping persecu- tion somewhere in the world and leaving a legacy of beauty in their wake. These are the stories that really matter. These are the stories I like to tell. Retailers serve their clients. Retailers offer symbols of beauty to people when they are needed most…when there is a moment to celebrate or a life passage to honor. All of these stories bind us to- gether in a human community. The jewelry industry, those of you who I am lucky enough to interview and work with, we create our own community. And this Spring issue is my ticket to Vegas where I will walk around to say hello and thank you all in person. Cheers and see you all soon! Brooke 20 l e t t e r e d i t o r ' s Editor's Letter Brooke Conner Sevenau Senior Editor This issue of The Jewelry Book marks my third year with the magazine and in the industry. Even with my fairly recent involvement, I'd venture to guess that the jewelry industry is as exciting this year as it has been in a long time. Why? Because I hear it from all of you! Not only are sales up for retailers, but there is a renewed enthusiasm in the ranks of designers as well. Trade shows are a great indication of industry trends and 2014 has clearly started off with a driving force. At home and abroad trade shows seem to be buzzing with energy and the inspired collections being exhibited are proof that people are buying again. The article on Luxury Brand Group's hosted buying trips for retailers at VincenzaOro is a great peek into this trend. If you haven't considered an international trade show, this just might inspire you. As always, I'm looking forward to the upcoming Las Vegas extravaganza. Returning to the Couture and JCK shows is a homecoming of sorts for me. Vegas was my first introduction to the industry and what a start it was! I'll never forget the overly ambitious list of designers I mapped out for myself without knowing a single person there. Luckily I was greeted warmly by so many of you and quickly found myself among friendly faces. I was so inspired by that first tradeshow I came home with a list of top picks I hoped to cover. Luckily, Nicole Bromstad (publisher of the The Jewelry Book and The Wedding Ring Book), encouraged me to take a risk and start off with an Editor's choice column. It was so much fun, I've done it after every show since then. And I hope that these picks are inspiring to retailers as they consider trends that might be a good addition to their inventory. The design awards are a highlight of the shows for me. I'm always happy for the winners and it is fun to see how my favorite pieces stack up against the finalists. Mostly I look forward to identifying new trends, rediscovering favorite brands, meeting with retailers, and finding a few new designers I haven't met yet. Looking forward to seeing you all in Vegas! Brooke Tirisi Moda Lika Behar www.likabehar.com

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