Janet Goldman of Fragments - that amazing bracelet gave emphasis to every word!

This week I attended the latest in a series of WJA (Women's Jewelry Association) Metro Mixer events, hosted by the dynamic Janet Goldman, CEO of Fragments. If you're a jewelry aficionado and not familiar with this store, you should be! Although it was easy to get distracted by the venue, a veritable candyland of beautifully-curated jewels at a variety of price-points, Janet's colorful stories of how she built her renowned business kept everyone's attention. Here are some choice takeaways from her presentation:

Up-and-coming designers interested in selling their collections to bigger retail outlets should consider a carefully edited grouping of about 72-84 pieces to present to buyers; if you're not there yet, consider a thematic capsule collection with a strong POV that can be shopped to smaller retailers
Notable trends seen at the Vegas shows that will most likely continue for the next seasons: finger (knuckle, pinky), layering, mixing up designers & textures, "unusual adornments" (hand jewelry, ear cuffs, etc.), return to yellow gold, opals, rare stones/cuts, paraiba tourmaline, oxidized & rose gold, unique aesthetics...

And my favorite quotable from Janet, "People remember your jewelry more than your face!"