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Week in Photos--May 28, 2014
For the past week and a half, the industry has been busy in Sin City.
Wednesday, May 28 marked the day when Couture exhibitors assembled their booths at the Wynn Las Vegas.
For the past week and a half, the industry has been busy in Sin City.
The Couture show took place at the Wynn Las Vegas from May 29 to June 2, with the show holding a welcome reception for exhibitors, an opening night concert featuring Janelle Monáe and the Couture Design Awards.
Meanwhile, further down the strip, the Paris hotel was the setting for the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry & Watch Show while Mandalay Bay hosted JCK Las Vegas.
Click through this slideshow to see the week that was in Las Vegas in 2014.
Wednesday, May 28 marked the day when Couture exhibitors assembled their booths at the Wynn Las Vegas.
That same evening, Couture hosted its annual exhibitor move-in party with cocktails and appetizers in the Wynn hotel’s Sunset Hallway.
The jewelry, and cool nail art, of designer Jade Lustig of Jade Trau, a first-time Couture exhibitor in attendance at the move-in party. Couture included nearly 60 new exhibitors this year.
Designer Alp Sagnak of Atelier Minyon shares two pieces of business advice with National Jeweler: “Stick to your guns,” and “Go big or go home.” Sagnak won two awards in last year’s Couture Design Awards, in the silver category and the People’s Choice award, and was a runner-up in two more this year.
Also on Wednesday, May 28, Designer Waris Ahluwalia launched his expanded Forevermark Diamond Collection at JCK Las Vegas.
To celebrate the collection’s debut, De Beers hosted a private cocktail event at Mix restaurant at the Mandalay Bay hotel. Pictured here is Ahluwalia with, from left, with Forevermark U.S. President Charles Stanley, CEO Stephen Lussier and De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier.
The House of Waris for Forevermark Diamond Collection expanded to 20 pieces in four collections: Drop, Lantern, Compass, and Southern Star, inspired by Ahluwalia’s recent trip to De Beers operations in South Africa and Botswana.
Early Thursday morning, May 29, Jewelers for Children held its second annual Rings of Strength charity bike-run-walk event at Mandalay Bay. Monies raised by participants, seen here fueling up before the start of the race, went to the children’s charities the JFC supports.
“The Electric Lady” Janelle Monáe started off her performance at the Couture opening night party on Thursday, May 29 by being wheeled onto the stage in what looked like a straightjacket, freeing herself as the performance began.
Monáe, her band and back-up singers were clad in all black and white for the performance, which was mostly the Kansas City native’s own songs with a couple of covers mixed in--Prince and a medley of hits from The Jackson 5.
The crowd loved it all. Monáe had everyone moving and, of course, recording and photographing her performance with their smartphones.
At the end of the performance, the Grammy-nominated singer exited stage center, heading through the crowd to the pool.
At first, Monáe just kicked around a bit in the shallows.
But eventually she took the plunge, with the entire crowd watching, standing on the poolside furniture to take pictures.
The unexpectedly wet ending to Monáe’s performance capped off an exciting first day of Couture, which continued through Monday, June 2 at the Wynn Las Vegas.
The evening of Thursday, May 29 also was the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s annual Diamonds in the Sky gala. Pictured here at the gala are, from left, DEF Board President and Mercury Ring CEO Phyllis Bergman with DEF co-founder and senior strategic advisor Dr. Benjamin Chavis, performer Chaka Khan and DEF co-founder and Chairman Russell Simmons.
Otis Williams from The Temptations, Russell Simmons, and
Derrick Holmes, CEO of Banneker Watches, are all wearing the DEF Empowerment
Watch made by Banneker. A portion of the sales from each watch benefits DEF.
Friday, May 30 marked the opening of JCK Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay, which ran through Monday, June 2.
Pandora debuted its new fall/winter 2014 collection in Las Vegas, and also held a runway fashion show in its exhibition space to put the new pieces on display.
JCK also hosted a number of educational sessions. On Saturday, May 31, Jewelers of America’s Amanda Gizzi talked about the latest jewelry trends that will help retailers shape their merchandising, diversify communications and increase sales.
Also on Saturday, Simon G. Jewelry celebrated style and design with their annual soiree at the Four Seasons Hotel. Actress Jaime King, pictured here with her husband Kyle Newman, was in attendance at the event.
Reality television show stars Lisa Gastineau, her daughter Brittny Gastineau and Melissa Rycroft, who appeared on ABC’s The Bachelor, show off their jewelry at the Simon G. event.
Rycroft is pictured here again with professional dancer Cheryl Burke, also on Dancing with the Stars, showing off their diamond Simon G. jewelry.
On Saturday night, May 31, the winners of the Couture Design Awards were announced in a ballroom at the Encore hotel, adjacent to the Wynn Las Vegas. The annual jewelry design competition for the show’s exhibiting brands added two new categories this year, Innovative and Haute Couture.
Jim Rosenheim of Tiny Jewel Box in Washington, D.C. was recognized with the Human Spirit Award at the awards. He was presented with the award after a speech from his son, Matthew Rosenheim, who also works at the store.
During the Couture show, anyone attending could enter for a chance to win a Vespa scooter. During the Design Awards, show organizers announced that the winner of the drawing was a very excited Marion Fasel, a jewelry author and InStyle contributing editor.
On Sunday evening, June 1, Jewelers for Children held its annual Facets of Hope dinner at Mandalay Bay. Pictured here are the speakers, including JFC Board Chair Ruth Batson; Signet Jewelers CEO Mike Barnes, and Glenn and Susan Rothman of Hearts on Fire, all three of which were recognized; Judy Tudor for the National CASA Association; and St. Jude’s patient Ellen Taylor and her mom Ann.
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