This year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
Andrea Fohrman on Launching Enamel in Fall Collection
The Couture veteran and colored gemstone hound is utilizing enamel as a new medium to explore color.

Las Vegas--Andrea Fohrman is always looking for a way to incorporate color into her fine jewelry designs.
For the designer’s fall 2016 collection, presented at the Couture show in Las Vegas, she turned to enamel for its multi-hued possibilities.
“I thought, ‘What a fun way to bring more rainbows into my pieces!’” said Fohrman of her first time working with enamel. “Picking out the colors that I wanted to work with was nearly impossible; trying to narrow down is always my problem.”
She ultimately decided on a range of pastel colors, from a dusty pink to a baby blue, plus some saturated shades like turquoise, navy blue and fresh white. She even experimented with an ombré effect on a sunrise-inspired pendant that featured yellow enamel, which deepened to a brilliant orange tone.
Fohrman explained, “I have always wanted to work with enamel. [I was] inspired by Victorian and Edwardian jewelry.”
Enamel has its roots in ancient times and is apparent in ancient Persian, Chinese and Greek art. It experienced a revival in the 19th and 20th centuries, with some of the most impressive pieces being produced during the Art Nouveau period.
Today, fine jewelry designers such as Nora Kogan, Alison Lou and Nikos Koulis use the material.
For Fohrman, enamel provided a novel way for the color-hound to experiment while staying true to her design philosophy, which centers on sky and weather motifs.
The product addition resonated with buyers in Las Vegas.
“It seems my retailers are really trying to focus on the brands that they carry and grow them within the store,” said Fohrman of this year’s Couture experience. “In addition, I also had the opportunity to pick up some new accounts that I am very excited about.”
With infinite color options, the veteran Couture exhibitor will likely continue to explore enamel’s possibilities.
Fohrman’s enamel collection will retail from $2,200 to $9,500 and will be available at select retailers in the fall.
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