Chris Blakeslee has experience at Athleta and Alo Yoga. Kendra Scott will remain on board as executive chair and chief visionary officer.
These Are the New Rising Stars at JCK This Year
Six young fine jewelry brands are making their trade show debuts at the Design Center.

Las Vegas--Last year’s 21 “Rising Stars” featured in JCK’s Design Center have been pared down to a more manageable 11 this year, and six of them are new to the show completely.
Garnish, Hania Kuzbari, JeweLyrie, M. Spalten, Maja Arnold and Nostalzia Jewelry have joined brands like Judi Powers and Spencer Fine Jewelry, both of whom exhibited in the Rising Star section last year and have returned in 2017.
Here’s a little background information on the brands that are new to the show.
Garnish
Garnish is the aptly named fine jewelry brand inspired by food.
Designer Caitlin Royal of Brooklyn, New York looks to food items similar in scale to her delicate jewelry--namely, herbs--when crafting her pieces.
The result is a delicious, and not-at-all obvious, textural collection. Not to miss are Royal’s rosemary rings, pictured in the above Instagram post.
Hania Kuzbari
A post shared by Hania Kuzbari Jewelry Designs (@haniakuzbarijewelry) on May 9, 2017 at 4:19am PDT
Amman, Jordan-based designer Hania Kuzbari’s eponymous line is ultra-feminine and detailed, and infused with a Middle Eastern aura.
Kuzbari has an eye for color, which she exhibits through her use of gemstones like green and pink tourmalines. Her charming take on a classic horseshoe design also features several gemstone varieties.
JeweLyrie
A post shared by JeweLyrie By Huan Wang (@jewelyrie) on May 29, 2017 at 7:46am PDT
JeweLyrie is a venture from Huan Wang. Wang’s childhood longing to create art brought the Chinese designer to Parsons, The New School for Design in New York to study fashion design. Today, Wang resides in Paterson, New Jersey.
It was during her maternity leave with her second daughter that Wang turned her creative attention to jewelry. Now, she creates a line that is both romantic and timeless.
Her high-quality bridal offerings featuring rose-cut diamonds are particularly strong.
M. Spalten
A post shared by M. Spalten (@mspaltenjewelry) on May 31, 2017 at 12:38pm PDT
Melissa Spalten of M. Spalten is a gemstone lover who favors precious stones of the unique variety--think bi-color tourmalines and every shade of opal.
Spalten’s affinity for interesting gems lends itself well to one-of-a-kind pieces, of which she has plenty at JCK.
The bold, bohemian line from the Texas native, who currently resides in West Hollywood, California, is a welcome addition to the Rising Star section.
Maja Arnold
A post shared by MAJA ARNOLD (@shopmajaarnold) on May 1, 2017 at 1:52pm PDT
Designer Sarah Anderson presents a new take on personalized and customized jewelry in her fine jewelry line, Maja Arnold.
The Seattle-based designer, who studied typography, combines letters so that their message is abstracted into a symbol.
Anderson works in both sterling silver and gold, presenting a nice range
Nostalzia Jewelry
A post shared by nostalzia new york (@nostalziajewelry) on Mar 18, 2017 at 1:34pm PDT
Nostalzia Jewelry is another effort from a Parsons’ alum represented among this year’s Rising Stars.
New York-based designer Kayla Kim creates classic jewelry with an organic feel. Kim’s handmade designs are delicate and intended to be worn every day.
Her “Constellation” collection is especially chic, and her bridal offerings are ideal for the natural bride-to-be.
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