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Key brands commit to Couture 2011

Jun 7, 2010 - Las Vegas, NV

A dozen of the jewelry industry's most established and iconic brands have committed to the Couture show for 2011, firmly establishing the show as the destination for high-end design during the Las Vegas Market Week, show organizers announced Monday. 

The support of a coterie of key brands--including Charriol, David Yurman, Damiani, Gurhan, Hearts On Fire, Judith Ripka, Kwiat, Marco Bicego, Mikimoto, Roberto Coin, Scott Kay and Viewpoint--recognizes and builds on the core Couture mantra of having "the best brands, shopped by the best retailers, in the best location," the show said.

"I'm delighted we were able to show the Couture community a multi-year plan that underscores our strong partnership and affirms our allegiance to the event and our customers as never before," said Joan Landis, Couture show director. "I look forward to spearheading our progress, along with the Couture Advisory Council members, to refine all the specifics related to 2011 and beyond."
  
Couture organizers said they moved aggressively in addressing the needs of the jewelry community via a slate of "Couture Commitments," designed to maintain the success of Couture. The event is now celebrating its 15th anniversary and is the show of choice for more than 85 percent of the world's most recognized designers and brands that exhibit exclusively at Couture during Las Vegas Market Week.

The agreements included a solution to a key question for exhibitors--namely, how to transport retailers from the curated aisles of Couture at the upscale Wynn Las Vegas to Mandalay Bay, a hotel closer to the Las Vegas airport that will, beginning in 2011, be the home of JCK Las Vegas--a larger show that through this year has been located across the street from the Wynn in the Sands Convention Center and the Venetian.

To smooth the way going forward, the show will do the following:

1) Couture will commit to hosting 1,000 retailers each year from 2011 through 2013.

2) Couture will provide transportation--in luxury cars and/or shuttles--to make transit between the Couture show at Wynn Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay as seamless as possible. (In fact, a Couture show video that ran on a loop at various locations at Couture demonstrates how retailers may be more comfortable riding to the show than they would be walking to it in the 100-plus temperatures typical of Las Vegas in June.)

3) Couture will deliver the same level of five-star entertainment, amenities and networking opportunities that have become the trademark of the event.

4) Couture will continue to work closely with its parent company, the Nielsen Co., and employ exhibitors to build and nurture the Cornerstone and Signature Retailer programs to deliver the most vibrant and pertinent collection of retailers to the show.

Exhibitors expressed pleasure with the offerings included in the agreement.

"We have been with Couture since its inception," said Jim DeMattei, president of ViewPoint, said in the release. "The show's continual innovation and attention to the market keeps us here. No other show provides us the same quality of retailer prospects and buyers and we look forward to another three years of business growth with Couture."

Glenn Rothman, chief executive officer of Hearts On Fire, said that the 2010 Couture event has already been "a resounding success" for the company.

"And now with this visionary program in place, they have created a long-term strategy that will benefit both exhibitors and retailers, and we couldn't be more pleased to continue our relationship with the event," Rothman said.
  
After its debut 15 years ago at the Four Seasons in Newport Beach, Calif., Couture moved to the Phoenician in Scottsdale, Ariz., and has made its home amid the splendor of the Wynn Las Vegas since 2005. By balancing the feeling of exclusivity enjoyed by the show's premier retailers with a level of accessibility to up-and-coming and aspirational retailers, Couture's business model boasts a successful track record for its exhibitors that allows them to explore and open new markets.
  
"Couture understands our level of excellence and recognizes that with their decision of staying at Wynn Las Vegas," said Greg Kwiat, a partner, in Kwiat. "Couture has set itself apart from the competition by consistently showcasing five-star properties. Our luxury brands demand a venue of the same quality and commitment."
  
Several international brands such as Bulgari have confirmed partnership with Couture, and plan to be a part of the 2011 event.

Couture is produced by Nielsen Jewelry Group, which, like National Jeweler and NationalJeweler.com, is part of Nielsen Expositions. Nielsen Expositions is a part of the Nielsen Co., a global information and media company. For more information on the show, visit TheCoutureShow.com.