Fashion conference to include jewelry sessions

New York--Initiatives in Art & Culture’s (IAC) 15th annual Fashion Conference will include educational seminars from professionals in the jewelry industry hailing from well-known brands and publications.

The conference is slated for Dec. 6 and 7 in New York.

Titled “Extraordinary: Icons, Iconoclasm and Innovation,” the event will explore iconic individuals and iconoclasts, those who reject being governed by prevailing tastes or customs and therefore become iconic in their own right.

The conference also will address how fashion photography and film convey the objects they capture and reflect and embody the conventions of a particular era.

Discussions on jewelry and watches will feature speakers from the Movado Group, TAG Heuer, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), MaeVona and Gumuchian, among others.

Formal sessions for the event will take place at the Graduate Center at the City University of New York, located at 365 Fifth Ave.

The conference will include the following seminars.

--“Extraordinary Metal: Platinum Past and Present,” Jack Ogden, expert on jewelry history and a jewelry industry consultant

--“White Light: Contemporary Platinum (panel discussion),” Deirdre Featherstone, jeweler and founder of Featherstone Design; Maeve Gillies, jeweler, designer and co-founder of MaeVona; and Patricia Gumuchian, principal designer for Gumuchian. Jack Ogden will moderate.

--“Perfect Timing: Masterpieces of Contemporary Horology,” Ruediger Albers, president and general manager at Wempe U.S.; Maximilian Büsser, founder of MB&F; Efraim Grinberg, chairman and CEO of the Movado Group; and Ulrich Wohn, president and CEO of TAG Heuer North America and LVMH watch and jewelry, North America. Roberta Naas, watch industry journalist and founder and editor-in-chief of ATimelyPerspective.com, will moderate.

--“The Main Event: Icons, Iconoclasm and Innovation in Fashion and Accessories Design,” Kathryn Fortunato, co-founder and director of sales and operations at Lizzie Fortunato Jewels; Brooke Jaffe, operating vice president of fashion direction for women’s ready-to-wear at Bloomingdale’s; and Selima Salaun, collector of vintage accessories and founder of Selima Optique. Frank Zambrelli, accessories designer, co-founder of Banfi Zambrelli and chairman of the Accessories Council, will moderate.

--“Tech Styles: From Code to Couture,” Michael Schmidt, wardrobe and jewelry designer; Francis Bitonti, multidisciplinary designer and founder of Francis Bitonti studio

Additional speakers will include Veronica Bulgari, Alexander McQueen photographer Anne Deniau, Women’s Wear Daily Senior Editor Arnold Karr, and Metropolitan Museum of Art Consulting Curator Jan Glier Reeder.

A full list of conference sessions, as well as schedules and locations can be found on the IAC website.