winyan
Brilliant_Rock
- Joined
- May 9, 2003
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From the IDX ...
"Peter Storm Bares All With “Naked Diamonds”
(December 31, ''03, 11:14 Sharon Edry)
When San Francisco-based designer Peter Storm examined his business two-and-a-half years ago, he was pleased – but not satisfied. A high-end group of retailers carried his collection across the country, but he wanted more: He needed a brand identity and a collection that was clearly different than what everyone else was doing.
To make that happen, he pored through his collection and realized that he had something unique and original to offer: a group of platinum and diamond pieces with princess-cut diamonds set on their points, so that they seemed to be floating without being attached to metal. He built on that collection, changed its name to the titillating ‘Naked Diamonds,’ launched a branding and advertising campaign last year and moved forward.
Platinum ring with
7 princess cut diamonds
(0.85 carat total weight)
“We probably do about 50 different pieces now, primarily focusing on bridal – which is how my company started out,” says Storm, whose ‘Naked Diamond’ collection was featured at the prestigious Couture show last year. “We’ve increased the number of retailers we’re in without infringing on the distribution of the retailers we already had.” The collection was certainly a success, featuring pieces such as an eternity ring with princess-cut diamonds set point to point around the finger and bead set diamonds on the shoulders of the ring.
Storm does a large number of in-store shows across the country, and says he enjoys meeting with retail customers. “I enjoy hearing what they have to say, what works for them and what doesn’t work for them,” he explains. One thing he knows for certain: His customer is no 21-year-old blushing bride. “My client is a serious woman who’s looked at a lot of jewelry, who doesn’t want a variation on something she sees everyone else wearing,” he explains. “She has a strong self-identity and is looking for something serious and beautiful.”
In general, customers are moving away from cookie-cutter brands, says Storm, in all segments of jewelry and fashion. “It’s one of the things I’ve heard consistently – brands are canceling each other out and have become over saturated. I’m trying to avoid that.” Another trend that is back, says Storm, is luxury. After several years of luxury items taking a backseat, this Christmas big and showy items are back in a big way. “People hadn’t been as extravagant as they might have been – not because of a lack of money but how they wanted to spend it,” he says. “But now phenomenal pieces of jewelry are in fashion.”
In bridal, customers still want platinum, platinum and more platinum. “They still want that white-on-white look,” he explains. People also clamor for colored diamonds as something acceptable to buy, he adds, both because of celebrities wearing these pieces and heavy promotion over the past few years.
“I started experimenting with colored diamonds in 2003 just to see how they would work in my collection,” says Storm. “Every time I’d make one I’d end up sitting with a customer and they’d include it in their order. So I never ended up with any for my collection!” He is now pushing to release a full collection of colored “Naked Diamonds” (in yellow and pink) at the New York JA show in February.
As for the future of the collection, Storm maintains that “Naked Diamonds” is always evolving. “Besides the colored diamonds, I’m also making pieces with more important center stones – 3, 4, 5-carats. People are demanding it. And in the opposite direction as well – I’m developing pieces for a younger bride, someone also sophisticated but who wants something more diminutive.” "
"Peter Storm Bares All With “Naked Diamonds”
(December 31, ''03, 11:14 Sharon Edry)
When San Francisco-based designer Peter Storm examined his business two-and-a-half years ago, he was pleased – but not satisfied. A high-end group of retailers carried his collection across the country, but he wanted more: He needed a brand identity and a collection that was clearly different than what everyone else was doing.
To make that happen, he pored through his collection and realized that he had something unique and original to offer: a group of platinum and diamond pieces with princess-cut diamonds set on their points, so that they seemed to be floating without being attached to metal. He built on that collection, changed its name to the titillating ‘Naked Diamonds,’ launched a branding and advertising campaign last year and moved forward.
Platinum ring with
7 princess cut diamonds
(0.85 carat total weight)
“We probably do about 50 different pieces now, primarily focusing on bridal – which is how my company started out,” says Storm, whose ‘Naked Diamond’ collection was featured at the prestigious Couture show last year. “We’ve increased the number of retailers we’re in without infringing on the distribution of the retailers we already had.” The collection was certainly a success, featuring pieces such as an eternity ring with princess-cut diamonds set point to point around the finger and bead set diamonds on the shoulders of the ring.
Storm does a large number of in-store shows across the country, and says he enjoys meeting with retail customers. “I enjoy hearing what they have to say, what works for them and what doesn’t work for them,” he explains. One thing he knows for certain: His customer is no 21-year-old blushing bride. “My client is a serious woman who’s looked at a lot of jewelry, who doesn’t want a variation on something she sees everyone else wearing,” he explains. “She has a strong self-identity and is looking for something serious and beautiful.”
In general, customers are moving away from cookie-cutter brands, says Storm, in all segments of jewelry and fashion. “It’s one of the things I’ve heard consistently – brands are canceling each other out and have become over saturated. I’m trying to avoid that.” Another trend that is back, says Storm, is luxury. After several years of luxury items taking a backseat, this Christmas big and showy items are back in a big way. “People hadn’t been as extravagant as they might have been – not because of a lack of money but how they wanted to spend it,” he says. “But now phenomenal pieces of jewelry are in fashion.”
In bridal, customers still want platinum, platinum and more platinum. “They still want that white-on-white look,” he explains. People also clamor for colored diamonds as something acceptable to buy, he adds, both because of celebrities wearing these pieces and heavy promotion over the past few years.
“I started experimenting with colored diamonds in 2003 just to see how they would work in my collection,” says Storm. “Every time I’d make one I’d end up sitting with a customer and they’d include it in their order. So I never ended up with any for my collection!” He is now pushing to release a full collection of colored “Naked Diamonds” (in yellow and pink) at the New York JA show in February.
As for the future of the collection, Storm maintains that “Naked Diamonds” is always evolving. “Besides the colored diamonds, I’m also making pieces with more important center stones – 3, 4, 5-carats. People are demanding it. And in the opposite direction as well – I’m developing pieces for a younger bride, someone also sophisticated but who wants something more diminutive.” "
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