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Eric Ford will step into the role, bringing with him decades of experience.
Eric Ford, who worked for Neiman Marcus for more than 30 years, is now the brand director for Couture. The 2026 Couture show is scheduled for May 27-31 at Wynn Las Vegas.
New York—Eric Ford, Neiman Marcus’ longtime fine jewelry buyer, has joined the Couture team as brand director, a new role within the organization.
As brand director, Ford will oversee Couture’s day-to-day operations while also spearheading “strategic enhancements” that benefit the event and the community as a whole, the show said when announcing his appointment Monday.
He will report directly to Emerald Executive Vice President Gannon Brousseau, who will shift his focus to larger strategic initiatives for the show, while Couture Brand Manager Elana Cutler now will report directly to Ford.
Before joining the Couture team, Ford spent more than 30 years at Neiman Marcus, most recently working as the precious jewelry buyer for the retailer’s 36 stores.
At Neiman Marcus, Ford earned a reputation for identifying talent and working closely with each brand to ensure its success in the United States.
He said he is “thrilled” to be Couture’s brand director.
“Having the opportunity to work alongside a team of people with whom I already have great relationships is truly a unique honor,” Ford said.
“I’m looking forward to leveraging my decades of industry experience and the relationships that I’ve build over the years to work collaboratively to bring even more value to an industry and a community about which I’ve long been passionate.”
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As brand director, Ford will oversee Couture’s day-to-day operations while also spearheading “strategic enhancements” that benefit the event and the community as a whole, the show said when announcing his appointment Monday.
He will report directly to Emerald Executive Vice President Gannon Brousseau, who will shift his focus to larger strategic initiatives for the show, while Couture Brand Manager Elana Cutler now will report directly to Ford.
Before joining the Couture team, Ford spent more than 30 years at Neiman Marcus, most recently working as the precious jewelry buyer for the retailer’s 36 stores.
At Neiman Marcus, Ford earned a reputation for identifying talent and working closely with each brand to ensure its success in the United States.
He said he is “thrilled” to be Couture’s brand director.
“Having the opportunity to work alongside a team of people with whom I already have great relationships is truly a unique honor,” Ford said.
“I’m looking forward to leveraging my decades of industry experience and the relationships that I’ve build over the years to work collaboratively to bring even more value to an industry and a community about which I’ve long been passionate.”
Brousseau said Ford’s fine jewelry knowledge and the good will he’s fostered throughout the industry will be an asset to Couture.
He also noted that Ford has had a long tenure on the show’s Retailer Advisory Council and has been leading “Belonging at Couture” since its formation in 2020.
“These critical roles have allowed him to become intimately familiar with the inner workings of Couture while also forging strong relationships with key members of the team,” Brousseau said. “We are all excited for him to officially get started.”
Couture also added another new team member recently.
Kimberly Straub joined the jewelry trade show as its new retailer liaison, taking over for Jan Mohr, who retired this summer after more than 25 years with Couture.
The show honored Mohr for her years of service with the new Hidden Gem Award, presented during the 2025 Couture Design Awards.
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