HIDDEN GEMS

We sat down with some of the retailers who make up the incredible COUTURE community to gain insights into their unique store experience and jewelry marketing vision.

by michelle orman

The Seven, New York City: New York City’s charming West Village neighborhood got even more charming last December, when The Seven, a delightful treasure chest of highly curated fine jewelry, opened its doors. The store’s founder, Camille Zarsky, is a long-time lover of jewelry, and she opened her store with the intention of forging relationships with fellow jewelry enthusiasts–turned clients. A former luxury handbag designer, Camille recognizes that jewelry is inherently emotional. Beyond its ability to absolutely make one’s ensemble, people connect with jewelry on a deeply personal level, and Camille is determined to cultivate a client base that entrusts her to find the perfect pieces to tell their individual story.

COUTURE: What’s notable about your store?

Camille Zarsky: I would say the emphasis is much more on the experience as opposed to pushing sales; we’re invested in this for the long term. I’m most interested in building a client roster of people who grow within our space rather than simply turning over quick sales. Jewelry buying is much more of an emotional purchase than anything else; we don’t need jewelry. Jewelry is an emotional experience and an investment that is passed down through the generations, so I wanted to create an experience where people really feel that we’ve honed in on what they’re looking for.

COUTURE: What’s your unique point-of-view?

CZ: The focus is less about “this goes with your outfit” and more about what your life is like. It’s almost like jewelry matchmaking, where we’re very focused on creating a one-of-a-kind experience for the customer and finding the special piece that’s right for them. We worked with Blake Brunson to design the space, and every part of the store was done by hand by some notable artisan in that field. Every aspect is imbued with emotion and represents an important part of my life. The floors are hand-painted, and each panel of wallpaper is also painted by hand and includes trees native to Texas, where I grew up, and Italy, where my late mom is from. The little house I lived in as a child is also included to remind me of where I came from. The name, The Seven, pays homage to my mom, who was one of seven sisters (Le Sette Sorelle), and serves as a reminder of their influence on my life and the support of my family to be independent and to have my own perspective, and not follow the masses.

COUTURE: W hat types of jewelry are your clients really responding to lately and why?

CZ: Spiritual pieces are a big thing right now; people are finding a connection with them. Also, stones in bright colors are something we’ve become known for, and people are seeking them out, looking for pieces that spark something in them, which is inherent in a lot of the collections we carry. Across the board, the most important thing clients are looking for is one-of-a-kind pieces at any price point. They want things that are special, totally unique, and really personal to them and their tastes and desires as far as jewelry-collecting goes. And, of course, 18k yellow gold continues to be popular.

Korman’s, Austin, Texas: Since it was founded by its previous owner, Russell “Rusty” Korman, in 1973, Korman Fine Jewelry has been an Austin, Texas original. For close to 50 years, Rusty had established a reputation for honesty, integrity and his generous commitment to the community. Drawn to these values, and looking to move to Austin from East Texas, where they’d been working in Larry’s family jewelry business, Kat and Larry Stokes purchased Rusty’s business in November of 2018. The couple set out to bring new life to the store, while also maintaining the principles that are so critical to running a successful fine jewelry business. In doing so, they’ve created a warm, festive atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and celebrated.

COUTURE: What’s notable about your store?

Kat Stokes: A phrase I hear often, and I love hearing it, is, “It’s like a party in here! The energy is so good, you guys are always smiling and having a good time!” We pride ourselves on being different in the experience we offer. Of course, we believe that we represent the finest jewels on the planet, but it’s really the experience and the elational connections that set us apart. Every day is an opportunity to celebrate with someone

COUTURE: What’s your store’s unique point of view?

KS: Our point of view starts and stops with our mantra— Celebrate Every Day. Whether that’s our team, our clients or our partners, it’s about celebrating life in general. That was our motto before Covid, and it means more now than ever before; every day is truly a gift. We feel so humbled and honored to be the ones our clients entrust to help celebrate a big milestone or commemorate a special occasion.

COUTURE: Can you tell us a bit about your clients?

KS: We so appreciate Rusty for entrusting us with the business, and we know he’s proud that we’ve made the store a special place within the Austin community. It’s become such a tech town—it’s the Silicon Valley of the East—so connecting with people who are innovating and who appreciate the craftsmanship and design and all the things that go into each piece has been a good marriage of brands and energies.

COUTURE: What specific COUTURE designers or brands are your clients really responding to lately and why?

KS: Austin is a very casual city. We have amazing charity events and galas where people get all dolled up and wear super-fine jewelry. But for the most part, no woman has time to go home and change her clothes and jewelry and rethink everything before going out at night. Two of our designers, Single Stone and Walters Faith, are so great and so versatile, and the weight and craftsmanship of their work feels important; it’s jewelry that goes beautifully with Lululemon or on a date night. Our clients also love Armenta, and Emily Armenta is just a gem of a human being. She has a beautiful heart and an amazing vision for her company. Her efforts in giving back to women and giving back to the earth make her a rock star in our industry.

Gin & the Banker, Bellevue, Washington: Rachael

Nov had already been running her successful clothing boutique, LaRee, for close to 15 years when she opened her Bellevue, Washington, jewelry store, Gin & The Banker, during the 2018 holiday season. LaRee had showcased a selection of jewelry, and its popularity among her clients had grown exponentially. In order to expand the business further, Rachael created a space that feels less like a traditional jewelry store and more like being warmly welcomed into someone’s home—a home belonging to someone with seriously good taste in jewelry, where everyone is treated like family.

COUTURE: What’s notable about your store?

Rachael Nov: : I named Gin & The Banker after my grandparents. We wanted to pay homage to them while also creating a space that was a bit sharper, sexier and a little mysterious—we wanted people to question the name. The store is very much a reflection of my grandparents’ home and who they were. It’s a very special space that’s warm and inviting and feels like “I’m home.” That’s how we want other people to feel.

COUTURE: What’s its unique point of view?

RN: What we try to do for our customers is to curate for them and educate them on who we love and who we partner with, while also keeping in mind trend-forecasting with the clothing store. We understand what’s coming in the fashion world, so we’re able to translate that to the jewelry world. We don’t want things looking the same, and the products we carry allow our clients to build their collections according to their personal taste, their style and the statements they’d like to make with their jewelry. For example, Iliana Makri, Lizzie Mandler and Azlee all do chains, but each has a different technique in how the chains are made by hand and what they can do. We believe in every brand we bring in here, and we’re careful to pay respect to every designer as an individual.

COUTURE: W hat COUTURE designers or brands are your clients really responding to lately?

RN: We love the designers we work with, and we partner with people with whom we see longevity; it’s not just the product they create, it’s who they are as people, how they run their business and who helps them run their business. I’ve already mentioned Iliana Makri, Lizzie Mandler and Azlee, who are all amazing. We also love Emily P. Wheeler, and we’re excited to be growing that collection here. During COUTURE 2022 we picked up a new collection, Tabayer, and we’re so excited to launch it.