subversive jewelry

>> Tiffany & Co. has made a $1 million gift to the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund: The resultant three-year partnership includes a one-time, $250,000 business development grant for one of the nine jewelry designers who has been a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist since the competition's 2004 launch. These designers include Eddie Borgo, Pamela Love, House of Waris's Waris Ahluwalia, Monique Pean, Irene Neuwirth, Philip Crangi, Subversive Jewelry's Justin Giunta, Anthony Nak's Nak Armstrong and Anthony Camargo (who shuttered their line last year), and Dean Harris. Each designer has received an application for the grant, and a winner will be named this Summer. “As a leader in the jewelry industry, it is important to us that the next generation of talented jewelry designers is able to succeed in the face of the many business challenges they face,” said Tiffany chairman and CEO Michael J. Kowalski. “Partnering with the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, this grant is intended to continue to develop jewelry as an important field of design.” [WWD]

Twelve American designers have been granted studio space at reduced-rents by the Council of Fashion Designers of America and New York City Economic Development Corporation.

The first tenants of the CFDA Fashion Incubator program are: Alice Ritter, Sophie Theallet, Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Rachel Dooley of Gemma Redux, Grant Krajecki of Grey Ant, Waris Ahluwalia of House of Waris, Joel Diaz of Jolibe, Alison Lewis of the Lewis label, Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne of Public School, Yuvi Alpert and Danna Kobo of Ruby Kobo and Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry.

Designers received two-year leases on their new homes at 209 West 38th street—a building which also offers common areas for editorial and sales appointments or runway presentations.

Source: Getty

>> The CFDA Fashion Incubator, announced last October in partnership with New York City's Mayor Bloomberg, has its first twelve tenants.  Among those named as part of the inaugural group of designers: Alice Ritter, Bibhu Mohapatra, Prabal Gurung, Sophie Theallet, Gemma Redux's Rachel Dooley, Grey Ant's Grant Krajecki, House of Waris's Waris Ahluwalia, Jolibe's Joel Diaz, Lewis's Alison Lewis, Public School's Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne, Ruby Kobo's Yuvi Alpert and Danna Kobo, and Subversive Jewelry's Justin Giunta.

The designers each received two-year leases on design studio spaces ranging from 800 to 1,000 square feet at 209 West 38th Street in Manhattan, with subsidized, below-market rental rates of between $1,500 and $2,000 per month.  To earn a spot, the designers had to submit a business plan, show they had "substantive editorial coverage" and orders from high-level retailers, have been in business for over a year and a half, and be supporting a staff.

>> Justin Giunta Joins Tory Burch as Design Director of Jewelry —In his first long-term post for another house, Subversive Jewelry’s Justin Giunta has joined Tory Burch as design director of jewelry.  Burch says of the appointment: “I have always been passionate about jewelry, and it’s a category we want to expand."  Giunta's first collection for Burch will debut for holiday-resort season, and he plans to continue his own collections, as well. [WWD]

>> The 2009 CFDA Award nominees have just been announced, and Marc Jacobs has already won an award — the International Award for his work at Louis Vuitton (he's nominated in two more categories).  Last year's Swarovski Award winners, Rodarte and Band of Outsiders, have both been bumped up to compete in the respective major league categories, and 2008 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund contenders Albertus Q. Swanepoel, Alejandro Ingelmo, and Jason Wu have all entered the Swarovski Award ring this year. 

We'll have to wait until June 15 to see who wins what, but the ceremony might mark fashion's first Michelle Obama event appearance — she's being honored with this year's Board of Director's Special Tribute for her style choices and penchant for up-and-coming talent.

And now, the nominees . . . »

>> Budget cuts brought fewer European retailers to New York Fashion Week and fewer US retailers to London Fashion Week — Julie Gilhart of Barneys, for one — so instead, designers are meeting them at the one Fashion Week they all can't miss: Paris.

Those from New York heading across the seas to meet with potential buyers and hopefully secure sales are Brian Reyes, Alexander Wang, and Victoria Bartlett of VPL, who are all sharing a space, plus Elise Overland, Jason Wu, Erin Fetherston, and Justin Giunta of Subversive Jewelry.  Diane von Furstenberg and Philip Crangi have already been spotted together at Tuileries, but The Ritz Paris is said to be the unofficial headquarters of retailer-designer-meet-and-greet activity.

The British Fashion Council is also investing itself in a trip to Paris — starting Friday, designers such as House of Holland, Osman Yousefzada, Felder Felder and Louise Gray will reside at the JTM Gallery on Rue de Richelieu, where international fashion press and buyers will have a second chance to peruse the collections; the hope, of course, is to increase investment in London designers.
*image: source