My Latest Article for The Jewelry Book: Trends 2014: It's Eclectic!

May 09, 2014 by allyson riccardi in jewelry, retailers, fashion

I consume so much information on a daily basis about trends, including meeting with clients and colleagues to see their latest collections, so it's nice to step back and outline the movers and shakers. This piece was written especially for retailers who will be at Market Week in Las Vegas the end of this month, to serve as a guide for what their customers will be asking for in the coming months. Click here to view the full article, pp 35-37.

Event Recap: "Top Takeaways @ SXSW," a Fashion's Collective Workshop Hosted by Google, Part I

April 07, 2014 by allyson riccardi in behavior trends, events, fashion, retailers, technology

I've yet to make it down to the annual SXSW festival, as it always seems to coincide with a vacation or a period when I have too much work. So I was psyched when Elizabeth Canon, founder of Fashion's Collective, organized a recap event, as I knew she'd be focusing on the highlights that were most relevant to what I do and am interested in. Here's an even more concise recap of the recap, from my perspective:

Event Recap: "Style Goddesses: Chanel and Schiaparelli Bijoux de Couture"

March 29, 2014 by allyson riccardi in jewelry, fashion, events

If you ever heard your grandmother use the term "paste jewelry," as I did, you probably didn't really understood what it meant, but you knew from her disdainful tone that it was derogatory, something not as good as the real thing. Until a few days ago, I never realized that the term comes from the French "pate de verre" which means glass paste, and has nothing to do with fake gems being pasted to metal, which is what I'd always assumed!

I was enlightened in more ways than one by a fascinating lecture hosted by the American Society of Jewelry Historians on March 27. The lovely Deanna Farneti Cera was our guide to a very specific period of history, 1930-1950 in Paris, when 2 formidable doyennes of fashion enjoyed a fierce rivalry. Back then, couture simply meant "made to measure" and fashion shows were merely défilés of ten or so girls parading around an atelier for a select group of well-to-do clients.

Ponderings on Porter

February 21, 2014 by allyson riccardi in events, fashion

NYFW went by in a blur, as usual. Those of us who love fashion devoured up-to-the-minute "reporting" on the shows, street style and trend analysis. And if you even casually browsed any of that coverage, you might have noticed the week-long publicity blitz promoting the global launch of Porter Magazine, the latest offshoot of the Net-A-Porter empire...

Jaclyn Mayer for Hatch Jewelry - Interview

January 20, 2014 by allyson riccardi in jewelry, fashion, designer interview

Before the holidays, I met Jaclyn Mayer of Orly Genger by Jaclyn Mayer in her Brooklyn home/studio to talk about her career as an independent designer. The full article has just been posted, click here to view and read all about her inspiration and the evolution of her collaboration with artist Orly Genger.