Belgium-based Kim Mee Hye is one of the most exciting contemporary design voices in the market. This year, she’ll make her Couture show debut.
The best part about visiting the Couture show are the surprises.
Every retailer and buyer has their tried-and-true roster of designers they count on to produce beautiful jewelry season after season, and the Couture caliber of artist consistently lives up to expectations.
But it’s the unexpected—the new direction from a favorite brand, or an entirely new design voice—that keeps the jewelry trade show such an important industry resource.
We suggest carving out a little time this week to let the following dozen new-to-Couture jewelry designers surprise you with their originality and talent.
Vram’s 18-karat yellow gold one-of-a-kind earrings with green tourmalines and diamonds ($47,000) Vram Booth: DA18
Designer: Vram Minassian
Home Base: Los Angeles
Established: 2015
Worth a Visit Because… Minassian spent 30 years designing behind the scenes before embarking on his own creative vision and his experience shows. The result is a conceptual and original take on wearable sculpture that is instantly recognizable as the designer’s own.
Wwake’s 14-karat gold and sapphire rings ($3,493 top and $877 bottom) WWake Booth: DA22
Designer: Wing Yau
Home Base: New York City
Established: 2013
Worth a Visit Because… With her line of diminutive, gemstone-laden jewelry, Yau proves that delicate, stackable pieces need not be generic. Since its inception, Wwake has consistently delivered covetable jewels for the self-purchaser—the scale helps keep the price tag down and the handmade quality appeals to the millennial.
Kim Mee Hye’s 18-karat pink gold earring with white diamonds ($5,543) Kim Mee Hye Booth: DA29
Designer: Kimy Gringoire
Home Base: Antwerp
Established: 2015
Worth a Visit Because… If there’s a traditional way to wear jewelry, Kimy Gringoire didn’t get the memo. Kim Mee Hye examines the human body as if for the first time and adorns it accordingly, without any preconceived notions—think edgy ear cuffs and inventive midi rings that, aesthetically, manage to appear more elegant than rebellious.
Marlo Laz squash blossom necklace in 18-karat gold with tanzanite, tourmaline, turquoise, iolite, sapphire, spessartite, garnet, morganite and zircon ($52,650) Marlo Laz Booth: DA21
Designer: Jesse Marlo Lazowski
Home Base: New York City
Established: 2014
Worth a Visit Because… Designer Jesse Marlo Lazowski is using color in exciting ways that evoke the spirit of some of her favorite places, from India to the American Southwest. A cultural milieu of symbols is key to the brand, which incorporates an original typography similar to Art Nouveau scripts in its cuffs, pendants and medallions.
earrings in 18-karat yellow gold with rutilated quartz and diamonds ($3,350) Dana Bronfman Booth: 137 with the Contemporary Jewelry Design Group
Designer: Dana Bronfman
Home Base: New York City
Established: 2014
Worth a Visit Because… Bronfman is known for her signature cut-out designs and matte metalwork, and now the designer is focusing on incorporating more colored gemstones into her work, like the dreamy rutilated quartz pictured above.
18-karat yellow gold and white diamond bracelet ($22,050) ARK Booth: 601 with For Future Reference
Designer: Ann Korman
Home Base: Los Angeles
Established: 2017
Worth a Visit Because… Like many a Los Angeleno designer, Korman is interested in expressing elements of Eastern spirituality through symbols, colors and stones, and she does so with a significant dose of glamour, courtesy of gobs of 18-karat gold.
Brent Neale 18-karat yellow gold earrings with lapis, diamonds, pink tourmalines, citrines, peridot, blue topaz and amethyst ($3,650)
Brent Neale Booth: 601 with For Future Reference
Designer: Brent Neale
Home Base: New York City
Established: 2017
Worth a Visit Because… The Kara Ross alum is crafting decidedly joyful statement jewelry inspired by flora and fauna. Colorful gemstone inlays and playful subject matter (her collection features a unicorn motif) contribute to the overall joie de vivre.
Designer: Jennie Kwon Booth: 606
Home Base: Los Angeles
Established: 2013
Worth a Visit Because… Wearable and feminine, Kwon has become a go-to for alternative engagement rings and everyday, mix-and-match jewels for the self-purchaser.
Noor Fares’ 18-karat yellow gold pendant with ruby, mother-of-pearl and rock crystal base, rhodolite garnet and diamonds ($5,779) Noor Fares Booth: DA17
Designer: Noor Fares
Home Base: London
Established: 2012
Worth a Visit Because… Inspired by the cosmos, Noor Fares crafts jewelry with an otherworldly energy, due in part to her creative and adept eye for gemstones. In the above pendant, for example, Fares layers ruby, mother-of-pearl and quartz crystal for an ethereal look utterly unique from her peers.
Ele Karela pendant in 18-karat white gold with synthetic opal, diamonds and sapphire with 9-karat yellow gold chain ($6,670)Elé Karela Booth: DA20
Designer name: Eléftheria Karela
Home Base: Greece
Established: 2011
Worth a Visit Because… Karela’s quirky and romantic pieces showcase literal scenes of forests and the night sky, as well as abstracted depictions of stars and planets. The designer isn’t afraid to fully embrace a mood—much of her work has a Star Trek feel.
Robinson Pelham 14-karat yellow gold earrings with natural baroque pearls and white diamonds ($6,253 for pearl pendants and $1,126 for a single hoop earring) Robinson Pelham Booth 1102
Designer: Vanessa Chilton and Zoe Benyon
Home Base: London
Established: 1997
Worth a Visit Because... The brand delivers super easy-to-wear jewels with a twist, like “floating” solitaire diamond or gemstone pendants in lieu of a simple diamond necklace. Possessing a large inventory, the brand also incorporates more elaborate statement pieces and color is a specialty.
Audrius Krulis’ 18-karat yellow gold, sapphire, spinel and white diamond necklace ($28,800) Audrius Krulis Booth 103
Designer: Audrius Krulis
Home Base: New York
Established: 2012
Worth a Visit Because... Audrius Krulis specializes in jewelry that is full of texture and interesting gemstone cuts and has an organic feel. It’s the perfect fit for the earthy sophisticate.
Ashley Davisis the senior editor, fashion at National Jeweler, covering all things related to design, style and trends.
