As a 15-year veteran of JCK Las Vegas, I’ve come to love the cacophony of foreign voices that greets me when I join the streams of people flowing toward the Mandalay Bay Convention Center every morning during jewelry market week. It’s chaotic and crowded, but the multicultural scene represents everything I love about the trade.
The Italians saunter by in sharp suits and designer heels, icons of effortless style. The Indians and the Israelis always seem to be rushing somewhere, their pockets probably full of diamonds. Let’s not forget the Russians, whose accents and icy blue eyes remind me of my family.
We tried our best to capture this global community of JCKers in “Hot Shots,” a collection of street-style images from the show conceived by photo editor Leah Rudolfo, and shot by Beverly Poppe. Thanks to social media journalist Logan Sachon and senior editor Emili Vesilind for taking notes and providing us with plenty of pithy quotes about how attendees experience Las Vegas.
Of course, we’d be remiss in not sharing our own take on the week in the desert. Every year, we mark the passing of yet another JCK Las Vegas with a post-show issue that highlights the products, trends, people, and events that made the biggest impression on showgoers. “Best in Show 2015” brims with our reflections on the things that mattered most, from the hoopla over wearable technology to the news that De Beers is putting its legendary “A Diamond Is Forever” slogan back in action.
That’s me at JCK Rocks the Beach with JCK’s Melissa Bernardo, publicist Jen Cullen Williams, and my boyfriend, Jim.
Beyond the news that emerged at the show, we’ve also brought back lessons gleaned from the educational seminars. This year, the show debuted JCK Talks, a streamlined series of presentations and panel discussions geared to cutting-edge topics that should be of interest to every jewelry retailer. In “Operating Instructions,” you’ll find the seminars’ key talking points.
While JCK Talks didn’t include a seminar specifically devoted to content creation, read Emili’s “Media Glitz” and you’ll understand that no retail strategy is complete without a model for creating compelling editorial. The article’s No. 1 takeaway? Retailers have to mimic the media if they hope to provide the kind of shareable content that will keep them relevant among millennials.
The roller-skating couple that performed at LUXURY’s pool party in Las Vegas was quite the spectacle.
Speaking of relevant, check out your newest, chicest competition in “Hotel Boom,” contributor Michele Meyer’s well-researched piece on the flock of hoteliers who are opening luxe boutiques selling sophisticated designer jewelry to hotel guests and well-heeled locals.
Personally, I’m eager to explore these hot new retail destinations. At home in Los Angeles, the Line Hotel in up-and-coming Koreatown has a shop called Poketo that always beckons me when I eat at the hotel’s killer restaurants. In addition to a small selection of smart yet affordable fashion jewels, the store sells clothing, accessories, and home decor items. The merchandising is so seductive.
I never fail to spend money there, partly because I feel imbued with a carefree, vacation vibe when I’m in a hotel. I might be in Seoul or Stockholm, Berlin or Bangkok, but everybody’s speaking the same stylish language.
As you embark on your own vacations, bon voyage—and happy spending!