JCK recently reported on a new direct-sales jewelry company,
bamboopink, from the founders of Irvine, Calif.–based JudeFrances—Jude Steele
and Frances Gadbois—and real estate entrepreneur and wardrobe consultant,
Debbie Millar. Later this week, the team behind the new venture answered our questions via e-mail about the
new enterprise.
JCK: In what
materials will bamboopink jewelry be made?
bamboopink: bamboopink is
a fashion jewelry collection made with brass and zinc. The Gold BP Finish
pieces are 24k gold–plated brass and the Silver BP Finish pieces are rhodium-plated
zinc. The stones used are man-made crystal; no semiprecious stones will be used.
JCK: How many
sales agents do you currently have? Where will you recruit them?
BP: bamboopink is
still in its preview stage and will not formally launch until April. [News of] bamboopink
has been spread by word of mouth and there is a large amount of interest at
this time due to social media marketing.
JCK: How many
retail stores currently sell JudeFrances, your gold lines, in the U.S.?
BP: JudeFrances,
Zasha by JudeFrances, and JudeFrances Bridal are sold in approximately 130
stores around the United States.
JCK: Will
bamboopink designs resemble the fleur di lis and clover motifs from the
JudeFrances lines?
BP: BP is
a costume jewelry collection—a completely different company and entity—and will
not resemble the JudeFrances line in the least.
JCK: Will you
eventually allow BP agents to sell your 18k (JudeFrances) and 14k gold (Zasha by JudeFrances) lines?
BP: bamboopink
sales consultants will never be allowed to sell JudeFrances, and bamboopink
will never be sold in ANY brick and mortar stores. bamboopink is a direct sales
company and will only be sold through its consultants. The lines will not be
co-mingled.
JCK: What has the
response been like so far from your retailers, when they hear about bamboopink?
Do they feel this is increased competition for them?
BP: Because
bamboopink is a separate company and fashion jewelry line and does not resemble
JudeFrances Jewelry, there is no competition for our JudeFrances stores.
Protecting the JudeFrances name is of the utmost importance to Jude and Frances
and because of the overwhelming excitement about bamboopink, it will only
strengthen the JudeFrances brand, making it even more of a household name and increasing
sales for the JudeFrances retailer.
JudeFrances jewelry in 18k gold
Zasha by JudeFrances jewelry in 14k gold
bamboopink jewelry from the founders of JudeFrances; styles are gold-plated brass and rhodium-plated zinc with man-made crystals
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine“BP is
a costume jewelry collection—a completely different company and
entity—and will
not resemble the JudeFrances line in the least.” —bamboopink founders
for Style 360 blog
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
