Steen L. Laursen, PR and communications director for Endless Jewelry, says having a successful brand brings other concerns, such as copycat designs. That said, he says knock-offs are an indication a brand has created something that resonates with consumers. “It’s a sign we’re on the right track,” he explains, adding marketing support is one way for a brand to stand out. “We can’t really see it as a negative. In the end, if a consumer buys a brand and somebody presents them with something similar, we think they’ll go for the original, so in that respect, it’s flattering.”
In the watch category, the buzz in some booths seemed to be less about smartwatches and more about presenting consumers with the right esthetics and functions for the right price.
Jason Lee Newman, Festina Group’s export manager, says that when it comes to designing the company’s namesake brand, the focus is on creating a luxury look at a price point that meets the current needs of the market.
“We’re not setting trends—there are brands that do that,” Newman says. “What we tend to do is take the elements that appear on the market at a higher price point and we give it to everybody, combining value with fashion.”
Michael Negreanu, co-founder of Midore, Festina’s Canadian distributor, says retailers these days are looking for watch lines that not only offer a strong men’s collection, but one equally so in its ladies category. In fact, when it comes to presenting the brand’s lines to retailers, Midore’s sales reps start with the ladies’ collection. Negreanu says the tactic helps create buyer loyalty by presenting a one-stop option.
Competition on the watch scene is fierce, says Michael Budge, general manager at Rodania Canada, and in the end, consumers can be overwhelmed by so many choices. “A lot of it is repetitive,” he says. “You’ve got to sell why you’re better than the next. The other problem is that if you look so different than everything else and it’s successful, you’ll get copied.”
As the Canadian dollar continues to struggle against the U.S. greenback, companies are looking for ways to simplify moving product across the border, given the high cost of shipping and burdensome paperwork.
Gena Alulis, chief executive officer (CEO) of Superfit, says not having a service centre in Canada presented challenges to growing the brand, which uses a patented hinge mechanism allowing rings to open, close, and sit upright on the finger without having to slip past an arthritic or large knuckle.
The solution to the border issue was to open Superfit Canada, a service centre run out of Platinum Unlimited in Toronto that is staffed by specially trained bench jewellers to retrofit, maintain, and warranty the mechanism. It was a tactic Superfit implemented in Europe for the same reasons.
“Dealing with the border was really difficult for some of the smaller accounts,” says Alulis, adding the new set-up allows for a more seamless process.
Now that the Vegas shows are behind us, the Canadian jewellery industry is setting its sights on CJ Expos Toronto and Edmonton and Expo Prestige, and picking up last-minute purchases for the holiday season. Stay tuned for the October issue when we’ll have news and highlights from the Canadian summer shows.
