Objets D'Envy: Boost your personal sparkle score
When jewelry designers use Swarovski crystals, they usually combine those little nuggets of bling with other stones or gems.
But Kirsten Goede, founder of Objets D'Envy, thinks sparkle is best in bulk.
“If you're going with Swarovski, I say go for broke,” says the Chicago designer, who combines her shimmery crystals with, well, more shimmery crystals to achieve seriously high-octane sparkle. “When you load up a piece with crystals, it just makes the pretty come home quicker. For me, it's always been about abundance.”
In October 2004, Goede founded Objets D'Envy with her signature Rock Candy bracelet---a chunky wreath of monochromatic Swarovski crystals that lives up to its mouth-watering name. By Christmas that year, the designer had fully recovered her initial investment costs.
As that bracelet flew off Objet D'Envy's (virtual) shelves, Goede expanded her line to include necklaces, rings and earrings--all teeming with Swarovski crystals. Today, Rock Candy continues to be her top seller, spotted on such celebrity wrists as Gayle King, editor-at-large for “O,” Stacy London of TLC's “What Not to Wear” and celebrity chef Paula Deen.
Today, Goede introduces four new collections a year--adding smaller collections during the holidays, including a flirty Kiss Me Necklace ($64) for St. Patrick's Day. And while the elegant Mini Gem necklace ($286) looks good year round, Goede designed it for the 2008 holiday season.
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Designing for the economy...
In fall 2008, her price range hovered at about $100 to $300. But Goede saw signs that the economy was heading south, so she began designing jewelry with lower price points, including a number of pieces that come in at around $50. “Even in this economy, people can treat themselves with a little sparkle,” says Goede.
In March 2009, she also introduced a new ring, the funky Tetra, in a limited-edition rollout. The chunky, retro ring represents something of a stylistic departure for Goede: Four, flat-backed Swarovski crystals sit atop a ring made of Sono Wood from Indonesia, a material she hasn’t used before.
This fall, the Chicago boutique Bess and Loie will preview the new ring, including additional ring styles she plans to launch. Meanwhile, the Objets D’Envy line can be found in about 15 boutiques across the country, including Chicago’s State Street Macy’s, Olive & Bette’s
in New York and The Store at Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
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