Women in Jewelry Who Rock started as an Instagram photography series and has now expanded into a hardcover book filled with inspiring stories, professional advice, and—of course—beautiful jewelry on women who have had remarkable careers.
The book Women in Jewelry Who Rock: A Portrait Series is the culmination of the partnership between creators and curators Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez and Alice Prenat. Jenkins-Pérez says she hopes this book celebrating women serves to uplift other female jewelry innovators and inspire the entire industry with its narratives about what it is like to work in jewelry today.
“We really wanted this to be a holistic view of women in the jewelry industry,” Jenkins-Pérez says, noting that the book includes top-level designers, industry veterans, and jewelry professionals who may not be household names but are huge contributors.
“Women have been working behind the scenes in jewelry for decades—we wanted to shine a light on some of them and give them not only industry acknowledgment but a moment of glam,” Jenkins-Pérez says.
The book’s authors met when Jenkins-Pérez, director of membership and digital content for the nonprofit Jewelers Vigilance Committee, contacted Prenat to photograph her new headshot. Jenkins-Pérez loved the photo Prenat took, and many of her industry friends asked for Prenat’s name for their own headshots.
“We hit it off instantly and became fast friends,” says Jenkins-Pérez. “I suggested that we should do something else together, like a portrait series. I had experience working behind the scenes as an editor of a fashion magazine, so I knew what I wanted.”
Photo shoots for the Instagram project took place in spring 2022, with each participating woman receiving a “glam session” of hair and makeup so her portrait would show both her internal and external gorgeousness, says Jenkins-Pérez, who wanted a holistic look at women in jewelry because she admired the beauty and brains of her industry friends.
Jenkins-Pérez interviewed the women photographed by Prenat for the Instagram page, where a Q&A is posted with each picture. For the book, Jenkins-Pérez gave the women the chance to write their thoughts about their jewelry career and advice for younger generations. This is why she believes Women in Jewelry Who Rock is an ideal graduation gift for somebody who wants to go into jewelry or related fields.
The book can be ordered online, and Jenkins-Pérez says there will be an event during NYC Jewelry Week in November where people can purchase it in person and meet some of the participants.
“I’m grateful that these women took time out of their very busy schedules to be a part of this project,” Jenkins-Pérez says. “These are women who are diverse in race and where they are in their careers. Some are emerging leaders and designers, and some have been in leadership roles for years. There are so many women in this industry whose stories deserve to be shared.”
Top: Alice Prenat (left) and Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez, creators of Women in Jewelry Who Rock, have published a book based on their Instagram portrait series. (Photos courtesy of Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez and Alice Prenat)
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