Jules Kim: Building Bridges Between Creators and Industry
In this special op-ed, designer Jules Kim calls on big brands to collaborate with independent creators instead of copying their designs.

For those of us who spend our lives bringing unique designs into the world, her words hold a bittersweet truth.
While imitation is often framed as the sincerest form of flattery, it becomes disheartening when originality is stripped of its rightful ownership and tossed into the fast-moving current of consumerism.
Over the past two decades, my work as a designer has allowed me to contribute to the jewelry landscape in meaningful ways.
My creations have graced magazine covers, adorned cultural icons, and influenced trends that have since become standards in the industry.
Yet, as with many independent creators, this visibility often exposes our designs to replication or duplication, sometimes without acknowledgment or collaboration.
Welcome to “dupe” culture.
The Complexities of Creativity in Consumer Markets
Original design plays a vital role in shaping cultural and aesthetic landscapes. When a bold new idea gains traction, it evolves from a subcultural statement into a broader trend.
But in consumer industries driven by profitability, originality often takes a backseat to safe, established products guaranteed to be successes.
Too often, independent creators see their work appropriated by larger brands.

While intellectual property protection exists in theory, it remains difficult to enforce for smaller businesses and individuals.
The process of litigation is prohibitively expensive and time-consuming, and as a result, many of us simply cannot afford to defend the origin of our designs.
However, this article isn’t about drawing battle lines, as I believe in the potential for positive transformation.
The creative industries have an opportunity to approach originality not as a challenge but as an invitation.
A New Vision for Collaboration
When brands encounter a design or concept that resonates, they have a choice—replicate it or engage with its creator.
By choosing the latter, they unlock a wealth of possibilities.
Collaborations, consulting roles, and licensing agreements honor the skill, vision, and labor that go into the creative process.
They also elevate brands in the eyes of increasingly discerning consumers, who value transparency and authenticity.

Designers are not only creators but also partners in innovation.
The ideation process is not a commodity, it is a refined skill shaped by years of experience and experimentation.
When brands embrace this, they gain more than just a product; they gain access to a continuous stream of fresh ideas and insights that can propel their offerings forward.
Respecting the Process
The act of creating is deeply personal.
It is a balance of vulnerability and resilience, pleasure, and pain.
Respecting this process means more than just avoiding replication. It means fostering environments where creators and brands can come together to craft something truly extraordinary.
As creators, we don’t simply want to see our designs populate store shelves; we want to be part of the journey.
We want to help build a system that values originality, uplifts cultural contributions, and ensures that the stories behind each piece are told with integrity.
Toward a More Transparent Future
By forging direct, transparent relationships between brands and designers, the creative industries can redefine what success looks like.
It becomes less about exploiting trends and more about cultivating meaningful partnerships.
This shift benefits everyone—creators receive the recognition and compensation they deserve, brands gain a richer narrative to share with their audiences, and consumers experience products that carry authenticity and intention.

Let us move away from the transactional nature of replication and toward a future rooted in collaboration.
Together, we can maintain and re-establish what creativity truly is—a celebration of passion, skill, and the stories that connect us all.
The Latest

Plus, parent company Saks Global announces plans to cut ties with up to 600 vendors.

Peter Smith joined Michelle Graff to chat about the state of brick-and-mortar stores and share a few book and podcast recommendations.

The necklace features a candy-colored Australian white opal in 18-karat Fairmined gold, as the brand was named a Fairmined ambassador.

Gain access to the most exclusive and coveted antique pieces from trusted dealers during Las Vegas Jewelry Week.

Sponsored by the Las Vegas Antique Jewelry and Watch Show


A private American collector purchased the 10-carat fancy vivid blue diamond.

The designer has taken the appeal of freshly picked fruit and channeled it into a capsule collection of earrings, necklaces, and pendants.

Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA

The country’s gem and jewelry exports fell 5 percent year-over-year last month, while imports declined 18 percent.

Around 54 million Americans and counting live with a disability. Here’s how to make your jewelry store and website more accessible.

The event is also accepting poster submissions now through June 16.

Before Pope Leo XIV was elected, a centuries-old procedure regarding the late pontiff’s ring was followed.

The one-of-a-kind platinum Rolex Cosmograph Daytona was estimated to fetch up to $1.7 million.

While the product has entrenched itself in the market, retailers and consultants are assessing the next phase of the category’s development.

The police are trying to identify the man suspected of robbing two Tiffany & Co. locations in the area.

The well-known Maine jeweler takes over for Brian Fleming and will serve a one-year term.

The donation was the result of the brand’s annual Earth Day Ingot event.

Located in NorthPark Center, the revamped store is nearly 2,000 square feet larger and includes the first Tudor boutique in Dallas.

The nonprofit has made updates to the content in its beginner and advanced jewelry sales courses.

BIJC President Malyia McNaughton will shift roles to lead the new foundation, and Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez will succeed her as president.

As a nod to the theme of JCK Las Vegas 2025, “Decades,” National Jeweler took a look back at the top 10 jewelry trends of the past 10 years.

The company plans to halt all consumer-facing activity this summer, while Lightbox factory operations will cease by the end of the year.

Following weekend negotiations, the tax on Chinese goods imported into the United States will drop by 115 percent for the next 90 days.

“Artists’ Jewelry: From Cubism to Pop, the Diane Venet Collection” is on view at the Norton Museum of Art through October.

The deadline to submit is June 16.

Moti Ferder stepped down Wednesday and will not receive any severance pay, parent company Compass Diversified said.

Lichtenberg partnered with luxury platform Mytheresa on two designs honoring the connection between mothers and daughters.