Deep Dive - Week of June 24th 2024 - Jewelry Trends & Strategies

A look at the latest in Jewelry innovation, Paris Fashion updates, new launches, PSA on sales and more of what I loved this week.

I spy jewelry trends & innovation, Away is launching a soft sided suitcase, Rhode throws in a 7th blush shade and Glossier creates art at a basketball court.

This Week's Topics:  

• Jewelry Trends & Strategies

• New Launches

• New Collabs

• New Store Openings & Pop-Ups

• The Business Section

• PSA - So Many Sales!

• What else I ❤️️ 

Jewelry Trends & Strategies

I started my career in Costume Jewelry so trends & strategies in the jewelry and accessories space is an area I love and always keep tabs on. Here is what is on my radar.

• Turquoise:

  • Major sales driver for jewelry in the summer when it is trending. The jewelry business tends to slow down a little as people are wearing less and at the beach/pool. But!! Turquoise seems to be the exception to this.

  • It does so well and with the boho moment we are circling around now, this color is the perfect pairing.

  • When I saw the latest necklace from Dorsey, the Bennington nano turquoise and diamond 3.5mm Riviére I knew I spotted a winner (preorder now, ships in mid July.) I love the single lab grown diamond and the bright turquoise. This is the first turquoise piece from Dorsey. I love to see brands evolve and try something new.

  • This is great on its own or layered with a longer necklace like this one in the 18 inch. I also love how you can pair these necklaces with a t-shirt just as easily as a slip dress.

• Anklets:

  • With the low profile summer sandals this year (I love these from Freda Salvador, I own this A.Emery sandal and love the new suedes and a classic slide from Margaux you have the perfect palette to show off an ankle filled with anklets.

  • This trend has made this charts for the past few summers, and even Rihanna making a statement with a $400,000 anklet watch. When I look at the Google trend tracker some of the top breakouts are permanent anklets (when they are soldered on) and Jenny Bird anklets.

  • I love this Chanel shoe, but it is possible to create this type of look with a pair of mary janes and two of these.

  • The Miu Miu anklet that pairs perfectly with camp shoes and boat shoes.

  • Styling details and some favorites:

    • Picking 2-3 to wear together. You can also wear each individually but by having 2-3 in your assortment you can try it in different ways. I would do at least 1 chain like this* or this with a tiny pearl drop. I’m obsessed with this pearl* one from Jenny Bird. The fact that it comes with an extra extender (no need to contact the company for extra length, no upsell on the extender, makes it easy.) If you look at the PDP¹ and scroll to the bottom they show different ways to style to serve as inspiration. It is great to see the range of customer’s styles.

    • Love this colorful one for summer camp style. Immediately brings the eye down to the party at the ankle.

    • Double up on boho trends - turquoise and anklets with Fry Powers selection. My assumption is anklets are strong at Fry Powers because the category is higher up on the navigation to help customers find them easily (or they want anklets to have more visibility…)

    • Etsy is a treasure trove too (or DIY your own.) here and here.

• New Innovation in Sustainability:

  • I did a double (maybe triple) take when I read about Mejuri’s latest launch - Salmon Gold. “Salmon Gold is sourced by extracting the last mineral remnants from the old mine tailings, or waste rock, of out-of-use, legacy placer mines near stream beds. From there, miners will close the sites and restore them to their original wildlife and fish-friendly habitats.” You can see all 4 sizes of the hoops in Salmon Gold here.

• Flatbacks, Earscapes and Rearscapes:

  • Studs just launched a 20 piece collection of 14k flatback earrings as an e-commerce exclusive. Flatbacks are great for sensitive ears, young ears (so comfortable for kids) and they are safe to leave in all summer without tarnishing when you swim/sweat. I love that they price by single or pair so you can buy as few or as many as you want. I typically sleep in my earrings and the flatbacks make a huge difference!

  • But the innovation in flatbacks goes a step further - they have reversible flatbacks that can be mix-and-matched. I love Studs tongue in cheek copy - they coined the term “Earscaping” in 2019 when they launched and now they are “Rearscaping.”

• Milestone Moments

  • Nicole Wegman, founder of Ring Concierge, has designed cigar and pavé diamond bands to celebrate personal and professional milestones. She designed them to be worn alone or stacked. This week she launched The Milestone Collection so others can mark their own milestones with a single or a stack.

  • They are sold individually or you can stack 2 to save 10% or 3 to save 15% and I like how the Category Landing Page showcases ways to build the stack to make it easier to visualize.

New Launches

• Away is teasing something new. Soft launching soft suitcases. They look good - different than other soft suitcases but still very Away coded. I’m into this.

• Saie Beauty is launching a new Roseglow, a new shade of the Glowy Super Glow (I have and like this product. My Gen Alpha daughter is a fan too.)

• Donni launched Summer Drop 2 and the silks sold like hot cakes. The silk tap shorts are a fun luxe update to the boxer short trend but sold out in a few hours. I have been wearing my silk pants* a ton this summer as a lighter option to my favorite rib kick flares. I would suggest checking out the drawstring silk pants as another great alternative.

• Checking out the newness at Tuckernuck: this tank would be great with white denim (or the popular white skirt for 4th of July from Doen), a Capri themed cover-up and a cute slip on jelly sandal I added to the jelly edit.

• Veronica Beard newness: easy seersucker halter dress, love this eyelet shirtdress - especially in the black, if you are heading into an office this is a great dress, I can already tell this will be a great suede mary jane for fall.

• Back in stock announcement - drop waist dresses are trending and this one is back in stock from Solid & Striped. It sold out so quickly when it first launched.

Daydream

• Julie Bornstein is a Founder/Retail Executive you need to have on your radar. I first became aware of her work when she was the VP of e-commerce for Nordstrom (early 2000s) then she was the Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Sephora, she was recruited to Stitch Fix and was a Board Member and COO for the personal styling retailer. She then founded THE YES which was acquired by Pinterest just two years later. She’s also a Board Member at Redfin, WW (WeightWatchers) and Sweetgreen. Impressive, right? She knows digital. She knows e-commerce. She knows fashion & beauty.

  • What’s Next 🥁 Her latest venture is Daydream.ing where she is a co-founder along with a roster of seasoned retail and technology executives.

  • Daydream, an AI-powered shopping platform, has secured $50 million seed round from top-tier investors including Forerunner, Index Ventures, Google Ventures and True Ventures and is aiming to transform online fashion retail.

  • Set to launch this fall, Daydream promises a hyper-personalized shopping experience powered by cutting-edge AI, featuring what they claim will be the world's largest high-quality branded fashion catalog. With its superhuman search capabilities and ambitious goal to reinvent the entire online shopping journey, Daydream is poised to become a game-changer in e-commerce, making it a startup to watch closely in the coming months.

  • Read more here from Business of Fashion and here from TechCrunch.

  • And if you work at a brand I’d consider exploring and reaching out here. (I’m not affiliated at all, I just see Bornstein’s track record and I’m impressed.)

New Collabs

• For the most luxe makeup and toiletry bags, Westman Atelier by Métier. The stripe is the new collab but previous collections are available too. These are gorgeous and practical (I love organization, what can I say.) I also think it is so smart to drop collections like this timed well with summer travel.

• Very into this Madewell x Lisa Says Gah collab. Especially the cool button down short sleeve camp shirts (available in a range of sizes) which I’m seeing some great styling with this summer. (Thank you

  Kelly Williams
  for solving summer dressing for us.)

• In Line Sheet this week Lauren Sherman hinted at a Coperni x Gap collab. I’m into this idea. It feels like Doen x Gap was a win for both brands, and I heard many people trying the collab but then going back for regular Doen. This would be super strong for Coperni. I think this dress (currently on sale at Shopbop) could be interpreted well for Gap and of course an iconic version of this Swipe bag.

• Asics x Hay for a colorful collab on a sporty casual sneaker. If you are looking for an alternative to a Samba these are pretty cool. (Not that I don’t approve of Sambas.) You can read more about the collab from Design Milk here.

• This Barbie wears Kallmeyer with PRIDE. 💕🌈💕

• The super stylish Pernille Teisbaek for 1st Dibs auction. You can read more about it here.

• Larissa Mills has amazing style - I really enjoy her Instagram. She has two new collabs worth checking out:

  • Launching July 9th, Parker Thatch x Larissa Mills (amazing colorful leather envelope clutches.)

  • Larissa Mills x NA-KD. NA-KD is a Swedish company that has super sharp priced “basics” that are styled and fashion forward. This seems like an opportunity to get the retailer in front of more U.S. shoppers.

New Store Openings & Pop-Ups

• Rhode Pop-Up Shop drove incredible lines (with hours long waiting times) to test and purchase the new Pocket Blush. The blushes sold out online but the pop-up shop made sure to have inventory for the event, however they are still selling out with hours long wait times to shop the store. It’s a bummer when brands sell-out despite more demand and I wonder what would happen if they doubled their order? Could they still sell-thru before it expires? They likely know how many they can sell beforehand based on lip tint sales and followers/loyal shoppers. The NYC Pop-up included a surprise additional shade called “Sprinkle.” More from Business of Fashion here.

• Jade Trau, jewelry designer, is opening a bridal pop-up in Southampton for the summer.

• The Row Hamptons mini round-up:

  • The NYTimes “The Row Relaxes at the Beach” by Jessica Testa (gift link to read behind paywall.) The Row opened recently in the old Tiina the Store location in Amagansett. It is more of a boutique showcasing other products and Happier Grocery.

  • Jess Graves
    is quoted in the NYTimes article, but for her super detailed and impressive Hamptons cool girl overview check this out as she is Mara Jelly Shoes on the ground reporting for us.

  • Another chic look at The Row Amagansett is from

    Habitually Chic
    and more here with “Dispatch from the Hamptons.”

🛍️ Quick note: I write a lot (too much good stuff to share!) so if you’re reading via email only, you may need to click through to the web version or read on the Substack app. I promise it will be worth it. 🛍️

The Business Section

• “The Crazy Economics of the World’s Most Coveted Handbag” (gift link to read behind paywall) by Carol Ryan for the WSJ is a treasure trove of data and insights on the Hermés Birkin, which turns 40 this year, resale markets.

  • In the 1990s customers could walk into an Hermés and buy a Birkin. It wasn’t until the financial crisis in 2008-2009 that the handbag started to takeoff with low interest rates in the financial market.

  • Average resale of Hermés bags is 125% and the next highest is Chanel at 68% according to The RealReal.

  • Purchasing other Hermés items to make a sales associate more generous to your desire to purchase a Birkin is driving more “Pristine” Hermés to sites like The Real Real. Of non-handbag items, 35% of Hermés items are in Pristine condition. For the average designer label the Pristine condition is

    20%.

  • In 2023 Hermés reinvested 4% of its sales into marketing. For LVMH that number was 12% - showing the strength of Birkin driving sales and not needing to market the brand.

• Chanel Couture show was well received this week even without a designer at the helm (or at least no mention of one and who led this couture show - though it was likely Viard before her departure.) Vanessa Friedman for the NYTimes writes about where Chanel goes in “Chanel is at a Crossroad. Where Does it go from Here?” (gift link to read behind paywall)

• Michelle Gass, CEO at Levi’s, over delivered the results. You can read more of the insights and metrics here from WWD.

• Revolve is acquiring the fashion house Alexandre Vauthier. While this may seem like too high-end for Revolve, the Revolve owned FRWD store concept is one of the key selling partners of Vauthier so it made sense to save the brand from administration (aka bankruptcy.) Revolve has also successfully built in house brands and sees a potential to reinvent and bring Vauthier to more customers.

• Bernard Arnault obtained a small amount of shares in Richemont (owner of Cartier, Van Cleef and Chloé) and speculation rose as to what this could signal. A full blown takeover, an admiration for the steadiness of Richemont and Chairman Rupert or just a small personal investment?

• Tania Flynn spent nearly 20 years at Nike and Gap CEO Richard Dickson is bringing her over to lead Athleta design.

• The status of diffusion lines (they are doing well and expected to continue to thrive with high-end lines getting more and more expensive) here from Vogue Business by Lauren Cochrane. I’m excited to see Bode Rec. The line from Bode that previously collaborated with Nike. (I mean, if it is more along these lines, yes please.)

• L Catteron has acquired Naomi Watt’s menopause beauty and wellness brand Stripes. The next steps for the brand are to expand into Sleep Support with “The Dream Date” a supplement that features melatonin, magnesium and red clover. The brand also plans to scale DTC, Amazon and launch on QVC and internationally into Canada. More from the WSJ, including Watts’ Monday morning routine here.

• Golden Goose IPO is on hold due to the political environment and turmoil in Europe.

• Turmoil and uncertainty are a strong impact to consumer confidence ahead of an election. In the US it is impacting consumer spending. Kearney Consumer Institute, a think tank, is suggesting brands focus on their consumer and connecting. I think it is important to always lead with your consumer at the center and focus on their needs.

• 83 year old Bridal destination Kleinfeld launches e-commerce.

• Key terms this week “Paris” “Fashion” and “Olympics”

  • Paris Fashion Olympics

  • Everything Vogue World Paris Fashion Sports/Olympics

PSA - So Many Sales!

• Hand Me Dôen is live now. This is Dôen’s limited event where you can purchase pre-loved styles from previous seasons. If there is the “one that got away” now is the time to snap it up. Check out this Ernestine Dress and the Conchetta Dress is the midi version of my favorite dress that I often wear as a cover-up.

• Alex Mill summer sale has started. Some of my favorite items are this blazer, a stripe t-shirt is hard for me to say no to an this is an easy summer work dress with sleeves. Pointing out a few smart business decisions on this sale:

  • Requires you to enter your email address for early access. This is a tactic to help them grow their database. The Hand Me Dôen event also requires you to enter your email. From a retail and business POV I’m glad they do this. I understand it can be frustrating as a consumer but it is the transaction that makes it more worth it as a retailer.

  • All items final sale. While this might be frustrating as a consumer it helps manage the business better and is what allows them to discount the retail - knowing that the product isn’t going to come back into inventory or handle the returns etc.

• 25% off Shopbop Sale thru 6/28 with code EXTRA25. Items I spotted are: this dark floral Ulla Johnson dress, this bright Isabel Marant is easy for summer, love these boho Chloe sunglasses and if you are a UK8 and looking for a wedding guest dress you have to check out this gorgeous JW Anderson dress that is priced under $250 with the sale!

• Veronica Beard is running 25% off sale: here is a great black or red evening dress you can wear over and over, I love a denim shoe and a luxe looking sheath dress.

• Chan Luu summer sale ends 6/27 at midnight PT. My favorites are the scarves (I own a cashmere & silk in black/grey), this neckerchief for styling with t shirts and this.

• Away is having a Buy More Save More event with code GETAWAY. The packing cubes are my favorite and a Jen Rubio tip we learned here is to have multiple sets in different colors. If you have multiple stops or family members you need to pack for, you can differentiate and organize easily.

• A few codes to share with you:

  • Lunya - my favorite pajamas from them are this t-shirt set and this tank set*. Get 15% off with code retaildiary

  • La Ligne - sweaters and dresses I’m obsessed with. I wear this cardigan year round and I’ve been living in this easy t-shirt dress*. 10% off your first order with code SarahS10

  • Maison Rogue has two ex Barney’s Merchants (they went rogue…😉) and have a great edit. Some of my favorite items are this Little Liffner bag (I own in black), this Sandy Liang red dress with waist detail and I love the fit of Agolde denim. 15% discount with code Sarah15

What else I ❤️️ 

• My favorite bathing suit. Perfect for afternoon dips in the pool.

• The Uniqlo “It” Bag is my favorite travel companion. If you have a trip I suggest throwing this in as it travels flat and is a great bag to put in your carry-on tote to organize the essentials.

• laura reilly
  and her team at
  Magasin
  is nailing it with Paris fashion content. She is your go to source with all the exciting and interesting details that the other fashion show sites aren’t covering. Like what
  Melanie Masarin
  (author of
  Night Shade
  and Founder + CEO of Ghia) has in her apartment and a visit to the Acne Showroom and shoppable content about what is a special discovery in Paris. Plus her personal looks are super inspiring.

• Emma Childs wrote for Marie Claire about the viral tweet from

  Lakyn Carlton
  (Substack
  True Style
  ) on Bias Cut skirts. “The Internet’s Bias-Cut Debate is More Nuanced Than You Think.”

• Great podcast with Samhita Mukhopadhyay, the former editor of Teen Vogue on the Myth of Making it on Hello Monday with Jessi Hemple.

• Does it get more epic than Rachel Tashjian being interviewed by

  Leandra Medine Cohen
  for her clothing choices and thought process. This should go in fashion history books.

• Glossier partnered with the WNBA on impressive basketball courts for Tompkins Square Park. It is literally a work of art.

• Culture Study
  podcast of
  Anne Helen Petersen
  and
  Virginia Sole-Smith
  discussing Big Jeans Feelings and denim challenges.

• Founders on Substack via Modern Retail “Looking for a creative outlet, more founders are turning to Substack.” I follow every single one of the founders listed and love their substacks. And last week I wrote about how businesses and founders can use Substack to drive their business and the reason for being on Substack - it might be where their customer is.

• How many Instagram Group Chats from Influencers are you in?

• If you are a Swiftie or love cats you should check out this ring Gigi Hadid gave her bestie Taylor Swift by Cece Jewellery.

• Wow! Do you know when women were given the right to get a business loan without a male co-signature?!!?

Any retail news you’ve been following this week? Retail questions I can help with?

What's Next?

Thanks for sticking with me and making it this far. I know it was a lot this week but I don’t want to leave out any of the good stuff. Next week is July 4th. Maybe we will have a lighter week. I’ve done 3-4 sends the past few weeks so let’s stick with 2 for a bit. I’m busy planning some fun content for later this summer and early fall. Anything you’d love to see more of? Brand Crush, Retail 101, Fashion Spiral, Ask a Merchant?

Thanks for reading Deep Dive Edition 171

Sarah Shapiro

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1. PDP = Product Detail Page. Ecommerce page that shares all the details on the merchandise and where you often “add to cart.”