Ewww. Vera Wang's line for Zales.

[decodelighted]

I realize she sold out long ago but SERIOUSLY?

http://www.zales.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=12134615&numResultsPerPage=96&pg=1&kpc=1

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

How exactly has she sold out? By providing stylish and affordable options to the masses who cannot afford haute couture and making a profit? Unless she has done something fraudulent or unfair to consumers that I'm unaware of (and I am interested to know if she has!), I don't begrudge her success in her mass market ventures.

 

[decodelighted]

How exactly has she sold out? By providing stylish and affordable options to the masses who cannot afford haute couture and making a profit? Unless she has done something fraudulent or unfair to consumers that I'm unaware of (and I am interested to know if she has!), I don't begrudge her success in her mass market ventures.

Did you look at the collection? I believe she left out the "STYLISH" part. And for a designer whose entire reputation is based on delicate, classic, refined pieces -- I think super encrusted, Kardashian-level Tacky pieces that would be more at home on Gangsta Rappers than ice skaters is SELLING OUT.

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

You said she sold out long ago, so I thought you were referring to her branching out with perfume, home goods and Khol's clothing lines. I'm asking how she has sold out in the past. As for this partnership with Zales, the collection is not my style, but it does seem to reflect current mass market trends. Even if the collection is gaudy, "selling out" implies betraying a core value for money, which is not what I see here.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I don't see anything new or different about this collection. It pretty much looks like what you can find anywhere. I would have expected something new and different from her.

 

[movie zombie]

its all about branding. zale's gets to say it has a "designer" and she gets more $.

 

[dragonfly411]

I wouldn't say they are all horrible. I quite like this one:

http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12179526&kpc=1 Though I would tweak it here or there.

 

[Laila619]

It's "cheapening" her brand to be at Zales. Same with Neil Lane's Jared line. But it must be working for them or they wouldn't do it.

There's an ad for the new Vera Wang jewelry collection in my Us magazine, and it was a cushion shaped pave halo e-ring. I actually really liked it!

 

[ame]

Didn't her original bridal jewelry line get discontinued due to being too dainty and having qc issues? Why would she do another one, esp for friggin Zales.

 

[Imdanny]

I realize she sold out long ago but SERIOUSLY?

http://www.zales.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=12134615&numResultsPerPage=96&pg=1&kpc=1

I suppose I should feel grateful that Vera Wang has brought her inimitable style to we the masses but somehow I just don't.

 

[iheartscience]

Didn't her original bridal jewelry line get discontinued due to being too dainty and having qc issues? Why would she do another one, esp for friggin Zales.

I remember that-a PSer had one of her rings and it was gorgeous, but crazy dainty!

YIKES to this hideous collection.

 

[Kaleigh]

Kinda like Neil Lane w/Kays.....

 

[Laila619]

This halo I would totally wear (except the Zales website says the clarity of the sidestones is like I1, eeek!). It's pretty though:

 

[ame]

Didn't her original bridal jewelry line get discontinued due to being too dainty and having qc issues? Why would she do another one, esp for friggin Zales.

I remember that-a PSer had one of her rings and it was gorgeous, but crazy dainty!

YIKES to this hideous collection.

Albicocca I believe.

 

[Hera]

I would be very surprised if she had much input in that collection. It doesn't matter whether it's fashion or jewelry or home design, a gifted designer is able to able to design anything. This is why you will often see a designer branch into other areas. It's clear that she possesses the ability to design jewelry as seen in her last project that while nonfunctional, were still aesthetically beautiful pieces of jewelry.

She must be getting quite a bit of money for this. She has really cheapened her brand by doing this.

 

[Mrs.W 514]

Some of it is a little much, not a huge fan of the double halos and hate it more when they are called frames?! Anyway I actually really like the profile of this setting
http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12179524&kpc=1&;numResultsPerPage=96&;pg=1&;kpc=1

 

[HollyS]

You said she sold out long ago, so I thought you were referring to her branching out with perfume, home goods and Khol's clothing lines. I'm asking how she has sold out in the past. As for this partnership with Zales, the collection is not my style, but it does seem to reflect current mass market trends. Even if the collection is gaudy, "selling out" implies betraying a core value for money, which is not what I see here.

Have you seen her Kohl's line??? Like the vinyl purses about two years behind in style trends? Or the ill-fitting, lousy-made polyester clothing? I wouldn't buy any of it . . . and I shop at Ross. Selling out is putting one's name on merchandise to sell to the average Jane at department store prices, not because you care about providing for 'the little people' who can't afford your couture duds, but because you want their dollars anyway.

Sorry. I'm with deco. Dreck is dreck; a designer name doesn't make it special. You don't buy 2 carat, diamond encrusted e-rings for that kind of money, unless quality is completely irrelevant. And if you're floating around here on PS, surely level of stone quality isn't a non-issue. Whether someone out there will be happy with it, isn't the point for PSers, is it?

 

[anitabee]

i'm so underwhelmed! how very run-of-the-mill everything looks. yep, selling out is exactly what she did! so nondistinctive.

i totally remember her line that was discontinued from a few years back and, as much as i'm not into dainty things, the rings were very beautiful and unique.

this??... blah.

 

[Imdanny]

Yep. She's wants to get her some of that Zales mall culture $. If she ever had anything to "sell out" I think she's pretty much by definition done it. I think she was always more popular in New York than nationally beloved personally. I think LA and New York sometimes amplify celebrities because those are the places where the media industry is based, and sometimes I don't think LA and New York can tell the difference between real 'stars' vs. regional celebrities. She might be the best wedding dress designer who ever lived for all I know but if her first jewelry collection had qc issues and/or durability issues I'd rate that a fail. You do have to wear the stuff in the real world. And I won't belabor the point but I'm not a fan of her line for Zales. I can't say I'm a fan of Zales actually. I think some of the prices they charge are outrageous. They remind me of when I was growing up and people like me didn't have access to anything like PS, the internet, hadn't stepped foot in a Van Cleef & Arpels boutique, didn't have a lot of choices, and had to go to mall stores or trust the local jeweler. As Holly said, PS'er don't have an issue with nailing down quality and value. It's a great change imo and if you want something rare I'd say go to the places that sell rare things. You aren't going to see "how the other half lives" at Zales.

 

[VRBeauty]

I'm not a huge fan of micro pave, so most of her e-rings aren't doing much for me. The side stone in the bands is interesting in concept, but I'm not sure it would work out in real life... other than that I like the bands.

"Real" Vera Wang is out of my league but the fact that she's also designing for Kohl's, David's, and Zales doesn't bother me and it wouldn't affect my appreciation of her coutour clothing. Or maybe it's because I couldn't afford the real thing that I don't really care about this addition to her line... it's not affecting the perceived value of anything I own!

 

[movie zombie]

I'm not a huge fan of micro pave, so most of her e-rings aren't doing much for me. The side stone in the bands is interesting in concept, but I'm not sure it would work out in real life... other than that I like the bands.

"Real" Vera Wang is out of my league but the fact that she's also designing for Kohl's, David's, and Zales doesn't bother me and it wouldn't affect my appreciation of her coutour clothing. Or maybe it's because I couldn't afford the real thing that I don't really care about this addition to her line... it's not affecting the perceived value of anything I own!

LOL! i agree: maybe its a NorCal thing?!

 

[Imdanny]

This halo I would totally wear (except the Zales website says the clarity of the sidestones is like I1, eeek!). It's pretty though:

This picture! This branding! Vera Wang Love (TM, Inc., .com). Nooo, I don't want my love to be branded by Vera Wang!

And what a completely conventional (well, I guess that's the point) pair of models. Look at the stills for Madonna's Max Factor campaign if you want to see something extraordinary. These models are just... kind of... there. I look at that whole picture and it reminds me of driving to a Quiznos to get a sandwich.

http://www.quiznos.com/

Hmmmmm... Toasty! Registered Trademark!

Ok, I said I wouldn't belabor my point.

My bad.

 

[movie zombie]

[quote="Imdanny|1321504798|3063492And what a completely conventional (well, I guess that's the point) pair of models. ......These models are just... kind of... there. I look at that whole picture and it reminds me of driving to a Quiznos to get a sandwich.[/quote]


i think that's the point, danny.....it is for the masses and the masses buy into that kind of marketing. regular everyday people are happy with zales. don't underestimate the lack of desire to be educated and get fair value for $ re diamonds...or color stones. don't underestimate the ability to put things on lay-a-way. don't underestimate having established a relationship with a salesperson at zale's as a factor in continuing to buy there. i can't blame any designer for wanting a share of that market........

 

[Imdanny]

I realize she sold out long ago but SERIOUSLY?

http://www.zales.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=12134615&numResultsPerPage=96&pg=1&kpc=1

"The role of decodelighted may be played by a revolving panel of wise a**ses and/or fluffy & delightful pets. Do not taunt decodelighted. Letters to decodelighted become property of decodelighted and may be plastered on billboards or mailed directly to offensive people mentioned in the content of the letter."

ROTFL!

Actually in answer to your rhetorical question I believe it's kind of a cosmic joke BUT I just wanted to say I LOVE your posts. You are direct and I think that's such a great way for internet personae to be.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

[Imdanny]

i think that's the point, danny.....it is for the masses and the masses buy into that kind of marketing. regular everyday people are happy with zales. don't underestimate the lack of desire to be educated and get fair value for $ re diamonds...or color stones. don't underestimate the ability to put things on lay-a-way. don't underestimate having established a relationship with a salesperson at zale's as a factor in continuing to buy there. i can't blame any designer for wanting a share of that market........

Point taken, movie zombie.

 

[mrs jam]

I have the bow ring from her original line, as well as some bangles. The bangles got bent out of shape simply from putting them on and pulling them off, and my bow ring broke when I got frustrated trying to pull my arm out of a jacket while driving. My fault, because I knew the jewelry was extra-delicate, but still annoying.

 

[Imdanny]

I have the bow ring from her original line, as well as some bangles. The bangles got bent out of shape simply from putting them on and pulling them off, and my bow ring broke when I got frustrated trying to pull my arm out of a jacket while driving. My fault, because I knew the jewelry was extra-delicate, but still annoying.

I'm sorry about that.

Just think her jewelry is famous for falling apart. Not the best way to start as a jewelry designer and there's no question she had the capital. I can't see any excuse for that.

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

I don't shop at Kohl's but a friend of mine was wearing a very nice, expensive looking knit dress to a red cross luncheon, and I was very surprised when she told me it was from Vera Wang's Kohl's line. I didn't ask how she's sold out to be argumentative; I asked because I genuinely want to know since my only experiences with her cheaper stuff has been favorable - this girl's dress and some picture frames and crystal in the fine china section at Bed Bath and Beyond. I understand that it's not all the top notch quality of her 10,000 dollar gowns, but if the price comes down to where normal people can afford it, something's gotta give. I don't think she's designing for the masses out of the good of her own heart... she sees a market and dollar signs like any other businessperson in America.

 

[Imdanny]

These are GIA grades (why the variance?!) for the center stone:

"H - I
GIA Clarity SI2 - I1
Gold Karat 14K"

$7999.

http://www.zales.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12179521&kpc=1

I personally don't care that she's in business to make money. She's a designer not a charity. The problem I have is e.g. a 1 ct I I1 in 14ct gold for $8,000. This is to say nothing about whether these rings will stand up to being worn. Her first collection didn't. I believe this is taking advantage of people. They are buying a "name." They are getting the typical for Zales low quality product with an inflated price tag.

I can't respect Zales, Vera Wang, or anyone who would sell rings like this for this price. I don't know what other might have meant by selling out. This is what I meant by it.