Local jewelry collective Rove plans to host a series of Motor City popups
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit hosted a cool jewelry popup shop on Sept. 22 organized by Christine Tobias Colman, founder of Detroit-based jewelry consultancy Rove.
The private shopping event welcomed a clutch of fine jewelry designers and their collections to Motor City.
Brands at the shop included Foundrae, Spinelli Kilcollin, Alison Lou, Jade Trau, Bibi van der Velden, and GemfieldsxMuse—a collection created in collaboration with 10 fine jewelry designers and featuring Gemfields’ responsibly sourced rubies and emeralds. A percentage of the evening’s proceeds were donated to the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit.
Designer Yves Spinelli of Spinelli Kilcollin, who was among the attendees, said before the event, “I have always been intrigued by Detroit’s heritage, from the golden age of muscle cars to Motown to the Stooges and MC5. I’ve always wanted to visit—this will be my first time in the city. I’m very excited to be participating in an event there!”
Designer Jade Lustig of Jade Trau, who also attended, notes that Detroit “feels like Brooklyn 15 years ago…it’s on the brink of a creative explosion, and I’m so pumped to be a tiny part of it. I love the grittiness of it combined with the grandeur of all these incredible old buildings and cavernous loft spaces.”
Tobias Colman, who was formerly a diamond wholesaler for Lazare Kaplan International and the vice president of diamond jewelry brand Jade Trau, helps buyers discover fine jewelry collections through Rove. And the Michigan native says Detroit, which is in the midst of artistic rennaissance in many ways, is a largely untapped market for fine jewelry.
“My goal is to facilitate a unique avenue to purchase fine jewelry and help buyers find pieces that meet their individual aesthetic,” she says. “But I also really wanted to contribute to Detroit’s growth in some small way, so I decided to incorporate popup events into my business model.”
And more local popups are in the works, in spaces “highlighting both the exceptional designers from around the world and the great design city of Detroit,” she says. A percentage of all sales at tonight’s popup and those that follow will go to support Detroit charities.
Designer Bibi van der Velden flew in for the Rove popup, and noted that Detroit “is where people tell their story with their music—like I do with my designs.”
Photos from top: the invitation for popup event; pieces from Rove-represented brand Foundrae
(Photos courtesy of Rove)
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