In conversation with: Valery Demure
Valery Demure gives her precious tips about winning strategy in jewelry
Valery Demure has over a decade of experience in the field of jewelry sales. Her eponymous agency offers a wide range of bespoke services providing an all-encompassing creative, communication, marketing and sales service. Here she talks about the winning strategies for contemporary jewelry designers.
What is your main strategy today behind the agency to support jewelry designers?
I think increasingly designers need to have
Online shop, press service ND, wholesale showroom. How is it fundamental in the today's jewelry market to widen the offer? Can sales ‘survive' without a PR service or vice versa?
Sales and marketing/PR always go hand in hand. There is a vicious circle, often a store will not select a brand because the brand has built too little awareness and a serious press office will not take a brand who does not have a point of sale in the territory. PR is not everything, many designers think that by paying a high PR fee, this is it… They need to work closely with their press office and their showroom, they need to engage in a discussion, they can not just design in a faraway workshop.
Do you think the seasonal aspect worths even for fine jewelry? What do you suggest to your designers in order to respect your calendar, regarding the product offer?
Fine jewelers should not just work towards Fashion Week. They need to think Mother’s day, they need to think Holiday/Christmas… At least one new collection every year with additional designs during the year to keep the excitement about the brand.
What does a buyer look for? Do they look for the brand, or even
We have buyers from all over the world, they always look for newness but also for originality, a real genuine signature, a product that is well crafted and well priced. Price point has become very essential, a nice product that is overpriced will not sell, a niche brand with little visibility has to be very careful with its pricing structure, it is easier for Celine to sell a brass cuff with a bow for 300£ than for a small unknown brand.
Clearly online seems to be doing
What is the average spending for a buyer?
In fine jewelry, 10-15K and in costume jewelry 5-7K.
You have recently opened a NY studio too. Is there any differences between the US market and the European one? Do you bring the same designers? What do the American buyers look for?
The US market is so huge, so varied, you may not sell in L.A.
What does a buyer ask for now in fine jewelry?
A point of view and adequate pricing. The market is so saturated, they look for genuine signatures, for true originality combined with impeccable craftsmanship. Buyers are quite cautious right now. You need to grab their attention, they see so much product.
Any new name you are working with? I saw you have three Italians, Delfina, Francesca Villa and Vodoo Jewels. Three different styles and designs. What would you suggest to young Italian designers to keep the pace with the market?
Very excited to be working with Francesca Villa, she has a great story to tell. Love how Delfina has contributed to changing how we perceive fashion fine jewelry in such a playful way. She is super talented and definitely has her own vision, it must be challenging for her brand to stay relevant and exciting, she has placed the bar rather high. Developing a distinct signature is the most difficult task for a designer, and we know it is not just about design, it is also about craft, about business and not forgetting marketing, you can have a great product if nobody knows about it, what’s the point