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The Couture Show Will Hold Education Sessions This Year
The trade show will host talks on sustainability, lab-grown and mined diamonds, intellectual property and trends.
Paola De Luca, founder and CEO of The Futurist, a trend forecasting company specializing in jewelry, is one of the speakers slated to present at the Couture Show’s education series this year.
Las Vegas—Couture has set itself apart from other trade shows with its small scale and luxurious atmosphere, but this year, it’s taking a cue from its competitors and introducing an educational element.
The jewelry trade show will host “CoutureTalks,” a series of presentations and discussions to take place during show day breakfasts and lunches at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Show director and Emerald Expositions (the group that owns Couture) Senior Vice President Gannon Brousseau said in a press release: "We wanted to be extremely thoughtful and strategic about rolling out this type of initiative.”
"We needed to ensure that the subjects we’re focusing on are relevant to our community, and that the speakers and presentations approach these conversations in a unique way that speaks specifically to our audience; we’re confident that the curated programs we’re implementing are aligned with these goals."
Among the topics the Couture team thinks are relevant to its exhibitors and visitors is lab-grown diamonds. On Friday morning, the first CoutureTalks session will feature a discussion on the benefits and prevalence of both lab-grown and mined diamonds in the industry today.
The panel will be moderated by the GIA’s Cathryn Ramirez and will feature panelists Sally Morrison of Lightbox Jewelry, Rachel Aaron of Canadamark, Laura Freedman of independent retail chain Broken English, and Stephen Webster.
Friday afternoon, renowned trend forecaster and The Futurist CEO Paola De Luca will turn the conversation to current jewelry trends, examining how the digital era and globalization affect today’s design directions.
Saturday’s breakfast will feature a talk from Stuller Vice President of diamonds and gemstones, Stanley Zale, on practical ways the jewelry industry can implement practices to become more ethical and environmentally sustainable.
During Saturday’s lunch, Paul Boutros and Geoffrey Hess of Phillips will discuss what motivates today’s collector in a conversation with author, photographer and style editor Matt Hranek.
Finally, Monday morning will feature a can’t-miss presentation from Jewelers Vigilance Committee attorneys Tiffany Stevens and Sara Yood on intellectual property law in the context of the jewelry and design worlds.
Couture is happening from May 30 to June 3, 2019. The show is asking that interested CoutureTalks attendees RSVP in advance. For more information about CoutureTalks, or the show, contact Michelle Orman at (646) 302-5521 or Michelle@LastWordComm.com.
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