Art of the Matter
It’s tough to determine if Beverly Hills, Calif.–based Natalie Torre is a rising jewelry star because of her designs or her endearing personality. The 10-year veteran celebrity assistant and party planner started taking jewelry classes with her mom—once a jeweler herself in New York City back in the day—after retirement from Hollywood detail. Torre eventually started selling her pieces—made in the United States in silver, 24k gold plate, and base metal, starting at $100 retail—under the name Art of Henri. (The moniker comes from her wrinkly, round-faced pet bulldog, Henri.) Her organic leafy looks, as though dug up from the Earth, and antique-looking gemstone lockets with inspiring message inserts—combined with her happy-go-lucky ways—also helped her to gain entrée into the 2013 Women’s Wear Daily Apparel & Retail CEO Summit, an event that many wait years to be admitted to. And in only three years of business, she’s accumulated 77 wholesale accounts—all before taking part in her first jewelry trade fair: JCK Las Vegas 2013.