EP 374: Joy and Human Connection NYC Jewelry Week
This week I am so excited to interview the founders of New York City Jewelry Week, Bella Neyman, J.B. Jones, and their creative partner, Alain Simic.
This is the one annual event that I never miss.
It’s happening SOON from November 14-20. This year’s theme? “Joy and Human Connection.”
In this episode, you’ll learn all about this never-miss industry event straight from its founders.
They share what led them to create it in the first place, how living through the pandemic inspired this year's theme, and tips for jewelry designers who are just getting started.
What is New York City Jewelry Week?
New York City Jewelry Week is a multi-cultural platform dedicated to the celebration of jewelry. The founders are committed to delivering jewelry culture to their audience in support of their personal mission: “Jewelry For All.”
Bella and J.B. were inspired to create the event after spending years attending all kinds of other design fairs and events.
While these fairs had a lot of fabulous jewelry, the primary focus was on the fashion industry in general. The founders longed to create an event that would give jewelry its own moment that could stand outside of design and fashion.
The beautiful thing about the creation of this multi-cultural platform for independent jewelers is that it was truly brought to life by independent designers and creatives.
How to Make Your Application Stand Out
Each year, applications open up in early summer and late spring.
I know many of you reading this would love to participate in this industry event. So, I asked Alain, Bella, and J.B. what they’re looking for when sorting through applications.
Because their goal is to have a place for all kinds of jewelry, the founders are focusing on designers who have a unique point of view and those who have really creative concepts.
“We focus on designers who have a really unique point of view. Those who we feel really have longevity, authenticity, integrity, and those who have a really creative concept,” Bela says,
“Ideally, we’re looking for individuals who have something unique and have a really unique point of view.”
They encourage you to keep the theme of the year in mind when you apply. They want to make sure that every exhibition, panel, or activation is really special. So the applications need to showcase why choosing you will help fulfill the goal of making New York City Jewelry Week stand out as the go-to event for jewelry.
Tips for New Jewelry Designers from NYC Jewelry Week VIPs
Unless you’re attending an event like this one, most people are going to first interact with your jewelry through some sort of visual medium, whether that’s photographs, videos, or social media.
It’s immensely important to focus on high quality visual elements for your websites, social media, and ads.
As a professional photographer, Alain admits that he’s biased, but that having great visuals will be the thing that helps you cut through the noise of an incredibly loud and crowded market.
“If there's any way you can allocate your money in the beginning, and you're really strapped for funds, just make sure that you’re investing in great product photography,” he says.
“The thing that beautiful creative imagery does is it tells a story that helps you connect to your potential consumer.”
If hiring a professional photographer is not in your budget currently, Alain also lays out his DIY hacks to get high quality visual elements when you can’t afford a photographer.
Be sure to listen to the full episode above as Bella, Alain, and J.B. share with me how New York City Jewelry Week came to be, how you can benefit from it, and tips on scaling your jewelry business when you’re just starting out.
xo, Tracy
Links:
More Resources for Jewelry Designers
