Amanda Gizzi, director of public relations and special events for Jewelers of America, gave a presentation at JCK Las Vegas on Saturday called “Trend Tracking 101: What to Buy and How to Use Trends to Increase Traffic and Drive Sales.”
Audience members were rapt with attention, taking notes and snapping photos of Gizzi’s presentation as she talked through the top trends for fall 2014 and looking forward to 2015.
She presented 14 trends to look for: abstract minimalism, movement jewelry, graphic futurism, three- dimensional patterns, byzantine inspiration, modern royalty, confetti, instant messaging, experimental nature, prismaticity, rococo fantasy, mysterious constructions, mystic odyssey, and origami. (More on these below.)
One trend that transcends all: “The feeling that the pieces are one of kind, even if they aren’t,” she said.
“There are trends that are really trendy and trends that are going to last,” she said. “In jewelry those are the ones we are interested in. A lot of these trends are timeless, they are never going to go out of style, they just happen to be of the moment.”
She also presented the color palette for fall 2014, highlighting four Pantone colors as the top ones for the season: Aurora Red, Radiant Orchid, Royal Blue, and Sangria.
Gizzi said the trend of the year is the horse and anything equestrian inspired.
She shared red carpet trends and smaller trends that impact what customers want and offer great marketing opportunities. One such trend is pinky rings. “Social media is a great way to showcase these celebrity trends, to show that jewelry is meant to be worn,” she said.
Other red carpet trends: hand chains; nontraditional rings and earrings, including ear climbers and wearing just one earring or non-matching earrings; and color drop earrings.
“You should have entry-level fashion-forward designs in your stores,” she said. “I think it’s one thing that is missing in a lot of places. Be a trend destination.”
2014 Fall Trends
• Abstract minimalism: Clean lines, unfussy silhouettes, diamond pavé, pearl accents, high-quality materials, cutouts
• Movement jewelry: Jewelry that transforms, slight movements, clean lines, gold, platinum, earrings, loose links
• Graphic futurism: Minimalist, color blocks, triangles, interlocking motifs, cubist blocks, bold color
• Three-dimensional patterns: Digital inspiration, detailed patterns, cages, bold and vivid, curved, shaping
• Byzantine inspiration: Mosaics, multitudes of textures, sliced and raw stones, color variation, floral designs
• Modern royalty: Ribbon shapes, abstract shapes, pear shapes, drops, platinum, diamonds, gemstone heavy, modern pearls
• Confetti: Bold color, mix-and-match stones, perfectly imperfect, cabochon stones, pastel and primary colors, glowing stones, unusual stones
• Instant messaging: Uniquely personalized, clear messaging, charms, letters, cause related, alternative materials
• Experimental nature: Shades of gray, technical floral, diamonds, white metals, reproducing nature, clean, innovative materials
• Prismaticity: Geometric prisms, one of a kind, rainbow, faceted cuts, glass, crystal formations
• Rococo fantasy: Historical references, 17th-century style, gold, floral, black and yellow, refined yet spectacular, shell-like cures, happy aristocratic
• Mysterious constructions: Asymmetrical silhouettes, ornate irregularities, liquid looks, rough stones, transformed daily objects, matte colors, soft yet bulky
• Mystic odyssey: Snakeskin, talismans, superstitious signs, mystical yet elegant, pyrite, dark and mysterious colors, but still beautiful and elegant
• Origami: Pleated surfaces, upcycling, layering, geometric models, angular cutouts, yellow gold, 3-D effects, lightweight, sustainability
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