While it is primarily known for its ready-to-wear women’s clothing, Generation Love’s expansion into fine jewelry makes perfect sense to cofounder Roni Hirshberg, whose mother was a designer in New York’s Diamond District.
“I remember going to the District, playing in her office, and sorting gemstones. I worked trade shows with some of her lines,” Hirshberg recalls. “My mom, [Tirtza], had such an eye for design, and I loved working with her so much.”
Generation Love, which debuted its first fine jewelry collection May 1, was years in the making, Hirshberg says. Because of her childhood experiences and mother’s influence, Hirshberg says she frequently had custom pieces made, and even her jeweler encouraged her to go into jewelry.
“It’s addicting. Diamonds are so fun to wear, to design, and to play around with,” Hirshberg says. “The possibilities are endless.”
Hirshberg chose to use lab-grown diamonds exclusively in her first collection, which she describes as statement pieces that can be stacked and layered. Prices range from $220 for a single stud earring to $19,500 for a 13.64 ct. oval-cut eternity band in 14k white gold.
Hirshberg says the Generation Love customer is interested in ethically sourced gemstones and sustainability, so she wanted to use lab-grown diamonds throughout her jewelry designs. Plus, it made the pieces more affordable. For example, women could buy one another that single stud earring, which is part of the brand’s Friendship Earring collection that Hirshberg designed to mix and match.
This is Generation Love’s first category expansion and its first foray into accessories, so Hirshberg says she is looking forward to getting feedback from customers. She describes the Generation Love customer as someone who loves to be noticed.
“She commands attention. She’s also not afraid to do things a little differently,” Hirshberg says. “She’s the kind that loves to take something traditional like a forever band and wear it on different fingers. She doesn’t wait to become engaged to get a ring.… I want her to wear those beautiful diamond rings on several fingers. It’s about breaking convention.”
Hirshberg says her jewelry philosophy comes from cofounding and co-owning a business with her life and business partner, Audrey Bressa. The jewelry also reflects their unique partnership, which blends Hirshberg’s New York edge with Bressa’s chic French heritage, she adds.
“I started to dream about what we could do in jewelry with Audrey, and we wanted it to complement our apparel. It just makes sense. We’re all about the details in our clothing, doing little things that make the brand different and special,” Hirshberg says. “We’d look at a button and say, ‘Wouldn’t that make a great earring?’ We’re inspired by our trims and notions, which leads to the apparel. It also inspires the jewelry now.”
Generation Love sells its jewelry online but also will have a display at its new store on Madison Avenue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Overall, the brand’s goal is to continue to expand wholesale and direct-to-consumer while finding footholds into Europe for both its jewelry and apparel.
“Our apparel is day to night, so it has that functionality and is multipurpose,” Hirshberg says. “We feel the same way about the jewelry. We want our clients to layer standout pieces with everyday pieces.… For me, more is more sometimes for jewelry.”
Top: In May, Generation Love debuted its first fine jewelry collection, including this Love at First Sight lariat necklace ($7,500), with lab-grown diamonds. (Photos courtesy of Generation Love)
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