By Cynthia Unninayar
Attracting 13 per cent more visitors than last year, and opening under the theme, ‘The Future. Now,’ VicenzaOro’s layout has been completely changed to better help buyers find what they are looking for and get the most out of their visit.
A series of six ‘districts’ made up of similar businesses has been created, along with new and interactive multimedia to enhance the experience of buyers, as they look for specific types of exhibitors and products.
“VicenzaOro The Boutique Show is a completely new concept on the high-end gold and jewellery trade show scene,” declared Fiera di Vicenza president Matteo Marzotto at the show’s opening in January.
“It involves an exclusive format that supports us in meeting the challenges of strong competition on a worldwide scale and addresses the major transformations occurring both in sales and production systems, as well as at the consumer level. We have listened to what the industry has been telling us, and have thus devised the most effective means of moving the market forward on both the domestic and international levels.”
Organizers divided the show’s 1500 exhibitors from Italy and beyond into six main districts or sections. The most luxurious, ‘Icon,’ comprises up-market finished jewellery. The large stands and wide aisles have elicited comments from more than one visitor and exhibitor that this area rivals the luxurious jewellery halls at Baselworld in its look and feel.
‘Creation’ and ‘Look’ feature finished jewellery from smaller branded and non-branded companies. Sellers of loose gems, diamonds, and other precious materials are grouped together in ‘Essence,’ while ‘Expression’ includes packaging, visual merchandising, and marketing materials. Finally, metals and processing technologies, including the well-known T-Gold mini-show, are showcased in ‘Evolution.’
The districts are connected by ‘trails,’ which are plotted by buyers using multimedia tools, according to their individual requirements. “This makes the trade show experience more manageable, efficient, effective, and successful and is done without compromising on the identity of every single brand,” adds Marzotto. “Thanks to this revolution, Fiera di Vicenza is able to present itself as the new trade show benchmark, with a strongly inventive flair and top-level content. In so doing, we have regained our position as an acknowledged and authoritative leader in the international jewellery trade. And, as always, our expertise is closely tied to the creation of new value.”
A few highlights
Among the many activities, discussions, and seminars offered by the fair were four trend forums that provided visitors a look at consumer profiles, style, product directions, and trend forecasts for contemporary jewellery. The fair also showcased its Trendbook 2016+, incorporating trend forecasts, as well as an energetic and informative presentation by Paola DeLuca on upcoming trends in the jewellery, watch, and diamond sectors.
Promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) standards has long been a goal of VicenzaOro, and the practical implementation of these standards was the subject of a seminar called “Social Responsibility as the New Reality: Best Practice Initiatives, Tools, and Business Success.” Organized by the fair and the World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), the seminar was held within the framework of their association with the United Nation’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which is dedicated to the development of educational programs promoting CSR and sustainability in the international gemstone and jewellery sectors.
Among the speakers, British jeweller Greg Valerio discussed the new ethical realities for jewellers and suppliers, including some of the key responsible sourcing initiatives, such as fairtrade gold, conflict-free sourcing, transparency, and traceability. He also outlined steps businesses can take to become leading best practice companies. “Over the last 10 years, the mining and jewellery trades have come under increasing ethical scrutiny from campaign organizations, governments, and voluntary civil society movements,” he noted. “Business as usual for jewellers is now a thing of the past.”
Legal expert Donald Feaver spoke about the new breed of industry leaders and tools to accelerate their businesses in terms of CSR. “Traditional paper-based ‘certification’ approaches are fast becoming tools of the old era,” he explained. “New approaches are more constructive, and a focus on business improvement through social responsibility has the potential to deliver a higher return on investment.”
Design directions
While VicenzaOro The Boutique Show is still quite Italian, the last few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of exhibitors from around the world. To be precise, 30 countries are represented. With this variety comes a wide range of design directions and materials. From bronze and silver to gold and platinum, with or without diamonds, to coloured gems and enamel, there was truly something for everyone. Lacy looks have been a staple since the global economic crisis and higher metal prices, while nature-inspired pieces could be seen nearly everywhere. Coloured gemstone rings, stacked bangles, and long loopy necklaces were also among the style mix at the show, as were the ever-present gothic motifs.
Always in tune with nature, Italian jeweller Roberto Coin featured lovely garden-themed pieces in gemstones and 18-karat gold, complete with a spider or two. Misis got creative with gold-plated silver, gemstone, and enamel rings, while Dada Arrigoni turned to the dark side with gem-set 18-karat gold skulls on long chains.
Openwork or airy esthetics could be seen in pieces by Casato, while Rebecca presented fashionable leather bracelets with gold-plated bronze charms. Men were certainly not forgotten at the show, as seen in Baraka’s new collection, ‘8848,’ that “aims for the roof of the world,” according to the brand, “by celebrating the conquest of Mount Everest in 1953.” The name comes from the height of Mount Everest at 8848 m.
Designs evoking the work of artists were seen at several booths. One was a beautiful jewellery watch by Palmiero that called to mind Picasso. Another was a lovely piece created by Indian brand, Sun Jewels, made of hundreds of diamonds and sapphires that paid homage to Mondrian.
The Boutique Show was also the launching pad for a number of brands. Among them was the very creative and prolific Mokoso Atelier. With its strong brand identity, Thailand-based Mokoso offered a variety of delicate and trendsetting pieces in gold, diamonds, and gemstones. Another interesting launch was the new brand, Roma 1947, created by Better Silver. “The year 1947 was an invaluable and important year,” stated chief executive officer (CEO) Paolo Bettinardi, “because it set off the distinctive Dolce Vita phenomenon.” The choice of the name Roma 1947 was his way of honouring his grandparents, who travelled to Rome in 1947 right after the war. “We found an old photo of them with the date and place on the back: Roma 1947.”
Brazil-based Vianna Joias featured an impressive array of stylish gemstone pieces, while Philippine brand, Jewelmer Joaillerie, dazzled visitors with its selection of South Sea golden pearl jewellery and Spanish brand Magerit continued its bold depiction of horses in gold and silver.
The Boutique Show truly offered something for everyone. VicenzaOro Dubai takes place April 23 to 26 in Dubai.
