Chris Blakeslee has experience at Athleta and Alo Yoga. Kendra Scott will remain on board as executive chair and chief visionary officer.
‘The Next Now’ is Back, Back Again
Ylang 23 and TrendSeeder’s competition for emerging jewelry designers is in New York this month for its third iteration.

New York--“The Next Now,” a competition for emerging jewelry designers launched by Ylang 23 and TrendSeeder, is coming back to New York this month for its third iteration.
The event will take place on Thursday, Aug. 17, at Brand Assembly on West 22nd Street.
The Next Now is a partnership between the Dallas retailer and the fashion incubator, designed to discover and cultivate the next generation of jewelry designers.
The competition serves not only as a launching pad for the winners but also as a network for emerging designers to talk about the challenges of establishing and building their businesses.
The Next Now gives designers the chance to put their work in front of a panel of judges, which this year is comprised of: Kelley Doherty, jewelry buyer at Bergdorf Goodman; Jennifer Gach, senior accessories director at Elle; jewelry designer Sharon Khazzam; Avani Patel, founder of TrendSeeder; Meaghan Flynn Petropoulous, co-founder of brand development agency For Future Reference; Wing Yau, founder of jewelry brand Wwake; and Ylang 23’s Joanne Teichman.
Ylang 23 and TrendSeeder have put out the call for applications. Entries are due by Sunday, Aug. 6.
This year, Ylang 23 also has named Liz Kantner and Benjamin Guttery as emerging designer ambassadors. The two will help The Next Now target great designers and answer questions from those who plan to enter.
This year’s prizes include a showcase and presentation to retailers by For Future Reference at Paris Fashion Week; a presentation to and meeting with Bergdorf Goodman’s jewelry buying team; online presentation, presence and promotion on Ylang 23’s website with the possibility of a purchase order and long-term relationship; 25 combined mentorship hours by various judges; and a one-year mentorship to TrendSeeder, valued at $1,500.
This will be the third time Ylang 23 and TrendSeeder have held The Next Now.
The winner of the first Next Now was Kirsty Stone of Retrouvaí, followed by Ann Korman of Ark Fine Jewelry this spring.
For more information or to register, visit TheNextNow.net.
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