Net Profits
By Cathleen McCarthyPHOTO:
PAMELAJOEMCFARLANE;^ GETTYIMAGESFRUSTRATED WITH THE limitations
of juried craft shows, many jewelry
artists have begun to experiment
with putting on their own private
showings.
Trunk shows hosted in private
homes are one option, but for artists
who make high-end work, a crowd
is not always conducive to sales. As
Judith Kaufman says, “I don’t think
people like to buy things in front of
other people at this price point.”
A more ambitious option is to rent a
hotel suite in a city where you have a
core customer base. When you know
many will be in town, send out invita-
tions, set up your displays, and host a
private showing over a couple days.
More and more jewelry artists are
experimenting with private showingsin high-end hotels. Those I’ve spoken
to say they’ve been surprised and
pleased, and mention others who’ve
been doing it for years.
Even if you think you’re not ready
for this yet, you may be surprised how
accessible it is.AWAY FROM JURIED SHOWS
It used to be a given. If you were
a metalsmith making jewelry, you
applied to juried craft shows and
worked the circuit. This is still a valid
route and worth following for a
while to build up your visibility and
customer base.
But many jewelry artists tell me
they’re struggling with the issue of
doing shows. Booths are expensive,
and the more prestigious the show,the more limited and expensive the
entry. Add to that the cost of traveling
with valuable inventory and you need
to make some serious sales to make it
pay off.
This is getting harder to do, or so I
hear from veteran jewelers as well as
emerging designers. British designer
Stephen Webster told me last year
he’s down to one show a year now
(Couture). These days, he rents a
hotel suite with other jewelers in Paris
during Paris Fashion Week.
“We do this because the fashion
context works for us,” Webster says.
“There’s a new type of retailer looking
for jewelry like mine. They used to be
called concept stores.” Since jewelry
is just part of their mix, many of these
retailers don’t go to jewelry trade10 LAPIDARY JOURNAL JEWELRY ARTIST
Who needs a show when you can
host a private party?
Suite
Sales