AUGUST 2013
Southern Jewelry News 25 Years • 1988-2013
Southern Jewelry News
www.southernjewelrynews.com
Vol 26 No. 8
“A Newspaper Dedicated to the Southern Jewelry Industry”
25th
1
ANNIVERSARY
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1988 - 2013
August 2013
Elisa Ilana’s new wholesale division enjoying early success Milestones in a business Part of the company’s success serve as a reminder of how it all as a first-time exhibitor at the Las got started. When Laurie Lang- Vegas Show was promoting their don added a wholesale division to presence in the Design Center Elisa Ilana jewelry last year, she with a large advertising panel on knew the days of working nights the first floor of the Mandalay Bay and weekends, turning a call- exhibition hall in the hallway leading into a career, had finally paid ing to the ground transportation off. As president and CEO of her area, where show-goers would Omaha, Nebraska-based com- wait for pany, Laurie’s wholesale jewelry division is quickly gaining traction with retail jewelers at the industry’s major shows including a first-time exhibitor at the June JCK Las Vegas Show. Headed by executive vice president Bill Jobbins, since the wholesale division’s inception The Mothers Bracelet Collection was Laurie last year Elisa Ilana’s sales and Langdon’s first commercial success. marketing team have experienced some early successes at the indus- various hotel shuttle buses. try’s leading trade shows, such as “Having this large panel disa booth design award at the JIS play in such a high-traffic area reMiami Beach Jewelry Show in ally helped bring attention to our October, using organic materi- brand and our booth at the show,” als, nature-inspired elements like says Bill. small bonsai type trees and invertAs if to celebrate the warm ed colored glass bowls in place of reception in Vegas, at this month’s traditional platforms and risers. SJTA’s Atlanta Jewelry Show But a major coup for Elisa (August 3 - 5), Elisa Ilana will be Ilana’s new wholesale division launching their new Lollies Colwas not just getting a booth in the lection, bracelets featuring gemJCK Las Vegas Show, but exhib- stones such as topaz, as well as iting in the Design Center. “Be- red agate, pink jasper, snakeskin ing in the Design Center was an jasper, lemon chrysophase and a incredible booth placement for host of other gemstones. The reus,” says Bill. “Business was very tail price points for Lollies range good and we were very honored from $120 to $500. and humbled by the incredible “Price points for Elisa Ilana reception we received from retail- jewelry starts at retail prices of ers and other trade professionals $50 on the low end to $10,000 at throughout the industry.” the top end,” says Bill. “In that During the June Vegas Show range we have a sweet spot of retailers responded well to Elisa average jewelry retail prices beIlana’s Wire Wrap Collection. tween $250 and $500. The new The 30-inch sterling silver neck- Lollies Collection fit perfectly in laces are strung with small fac- that sweet spot.” eted gemstones including periLollies complements other dot, amethyst, citrine, and pearls. gemstone and personalized lines “With a retail price of $160 per of jewelry which have become necklace retailers really liked the hallmarks for Elisa Ilana. In the price point,” says Bill. early days when Laurie was tran-
sitioning from her financial executive position, her first jewelry collections emphasizing color and texture sold well. But the Mothers Bracelet Collection was her first real commercially successful jewelry line. The silver and gemstone bracelets, available in single and multiple strands are customizable. The custom pieces are geared toward mothers, but are appropriate gifts for grandmothers, aunts, sisters and even siblings to celebrate the birth a child. “Mothers bracelets can be customized with children’s names in sterling silver letters and birthstones to create a memorable keepsake,” says Bill. Another signature collection for Elisa Ilana is Laurie’s Awareness jewelry. In 2001 a close friend was diagnosed with breast cancer. Deeply impacted by the situation Laurie wanted to help by raising money for cancer research. Over time the Awareness collection has expanded to include a number of cancers and other life-threatening diseases, from JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) to ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Awareness bracelets retail for $200 to $300 with 10% of the selling price going to the organization affiliated to the cancer or life-threatening disease associated with the jewelry piece. “Over time, we’ve given $1 million to various funds collectively,” says Laurie. “Even small companies like ours can make a big difference. We work with a local hospital here, and nationally we’ve contributed to the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and the ALS Foundation to name a few.” Fascinated with texture and color, Laurie has also created jewelry collections set with exotic gemstones such as aquamarine
Laurie Langdon, president and CEO of Elisa Ilana. and tanzanite as well as a host of other exceptional colored stones. Some pieces have more than a single idea design concept. An example is a bracelet or necklace that combines Larimar (pecto-
a finished piece of jewelry. “An heirloom piece given to Laurie sparked her innate skills for making jewelry as an adult,” says Bill “But throughout her life she has also had a passion for texture and color. Combined, these influences are what drive her creative energy.” Pleased with the growth of her wholesale division, Laurie’s business acumen comes from her retail experience. As her business transitioned from her kitchen table in early 1996, Laurie opened a 450-square-foot retail store in 1999. And, in 2008 she moved into a two-story building and gutted the structure to create a multipurpose facility. Each floor is 4,000 square feet with the first floor dedicated to the retail store and product fulfillment. Most of the inventory sold in her retail store comes from
Elisa Ilana will be launching their new Lollies Collection at the Atlanta Jewelry Show. lite), pearls and Swiss blue topaz. These colors work well together aesthetically, but also add an undercurrent of an ocean theme to the pieces. On the warm end of the color spectrum, for example, Laurie combines Sunstone and complementary colors of jasper bringing together earthy colors in her jewelry. An astute buyer of better quality colored stones, during domestic and international buying trips for sourcing gemstones and gemstone materials, Laurie visualizes early on how individual freeform pieces and gemstone parcels will soon come together in
the production facility on the second floor. Other complementary jewelry lines are sold in her store and online (www.ElisaIlana.com). The second floor is a 40/60 split of office and production facility space. With 63 employees, fulfillment for custom orders takes roughly two to three days. “We’re proud of the efficiency, quality, and speed that we produce our jewelry orders with,” says Bill. “And, while many competitors outsource their production overseas, all of our jewelry is made in America.” For more information contact Elisa Ilana at 402-926-3479. SJN