NY Now’s Emerging Fine Jewelry Designer Incubator (EFJDI) was created to offer its participants mentorship, industry insights, and support in establishing a sustainable business—three things that can drive their success, organizers say.
The 12 designers who make up the program’s first cohort are showcased at the NY Now trade marketplace for jewelry, gifts, home decor, and accessories, taking place through Feb. 7 at the Javits Center in midtown Manhattan.
Spearheaded by jewelry designer and marketer Liz Kantner and business consultant Robin Kramer, the Incubator program brings industry mentors and experts together with the emerging designers to help them understand the subtleties and sweet spots within fine jewelry, Kantner says.
EFJDI brands are exhibiting within the Luxury Lifestyle area of NY Now. The first roster includes Crevette Design Studio, Deborah Meyers Experience, Gwen Beloti, Hilary Finck Jewelry, I Seira, Karin Luvaas Jewelry, Kelsey Simmen, Lindsey L. Allen, Macadam, Rachel Jones Jewellery, Tamsin Rasor, and Universal Deco.
Kantner says the timing was right for the emerging designers initiative, which was announced in December, for many reasons—among them that NY NOW is celebrating 100 years in 2024.
“There is no other opportunity like this for fine jewelry designers available during the popular NYC market weeks, or really anywhere in the industry,” Kantner tells JCK. “For years we have seen emerging designers seek a place to exhibit and not able to find options that really support and embrace their particular needs.
“These brands are staring out in the industry and, in addition to the show experience itself, are looking for guidance, mentorship, and connectivity to a cohort, which is exactly where the resources of both the Luxury Lifestyle community as well as our syllabus for EFJDI come in,” she adds.
Incubator designers work with veteran staffers of NY Now’s Luxury Lifestyle sector, including Morgan Amelia Miller, sales director for jewelry and accessories; Ashley Ciofrone, senior sales manager, jewelry and accessories; and Simone Waldron, Luxury Lifestyle curator.
They and other mentors are just what the emerging designers need, Kantner says. “Being able to empower each designer and set them up for success pre-, during, and post-show is critical,” says Kantner. “Having a network of industry stakeholders, as well as a seasoned roster of remarkable talent like Dana Kellin, Judi Powers, Annette Ferdinandsen, and Ariana Boussard-Reifel, really help shape this remarkable community. This is long overdue, and we are so excited to launch this distinctive platform.”
Luxury Lifestyle is the ideal area for these emerging designers, according to NY Now’s Miller. “The mission was to establish a platform that facilitates meaningful connection between designers and established luxury retail buyers, fostering a sense of community that transcends competition,” Miller says.
“By cultivating a space that empowers designers to shape and embrace their distinctive brand identities, Luxury Lifestyle creates a landscape of exceptional brands prioritizing innovation, ingenuity, and individually.”
Top: NY Now’s Winter Market, held this week at the Javits Center, features the debut of its Emerging Fine Jewelry Designer Incubator among the exhibitors. (Photos courtesy of NY Now)
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