Know your audience, says jewellery designer
Rather than chasing trends, designers can idiosyncratically create distinctive jewellery to meet the purchasing power of niche markets, which was a subject of discussion at the “Know Your Niche: Bangkok Gems & Jewellry Design And Branding Conference 2017” organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), at S31 Sukhumvit Hotel.
Celebrated American designer Matthew Campbell Laurenza was one of the speakers who shared his approach in building his MCL brand, now sold in 36 countries and sought by Hollywood celebrities.
“Building a brand for the niche market is about finding specific groups,” Laurenza said. “For example, men over 40 years old, single, health-conscious or women of the same age group, single, earning about 2 million baht a year, interested in travelling, investing and environmental issues, etc. What do they need?”
Knowing their lifestyle as much as possible, he added, will help in creating products of your own style that cater to their needs.
Laurenza draws inspiration from his globe-trotting and background in architecture and sculpture to create statement pieces with an elegant and sophisticated spirit. His collaboration with Atelier Swarovski resulted in the Jewelled Garden collection of 15 exquisite sculptures of flora and fauna and another 15 pieces of wearable sculptures.
Thai designer, Sarran Youkongdee offers contemporary jewellery accented with traditional Thai identity, targeted at “women on top” referring to 40-something business owners, who come under a niche market preferring designs inspired by cultural roots and materialised by craftsmanship passed down from generation to generation.
“This target group is interested in and will pay for unique pieces,” he said. “Hence, we focus on offering limited handmade pieces, each carrying a serial number code and a guarantee certificate.”
The Sarran brand also produces limited editions of three pieces, priced from 500,000 to 700,000 baht, but only one is available for purchase, the second goes to a museum and the third used for photography.
Saprang is another niche brand founded by Supot Suwannasing and Sirikarn Jirajbhaskornkul, whose contemporary accessories include those made from bamboo.
“The idea came when a bamboo tree was about to be cut. As it provides a beautiful natural material, we kept it and later on came up with the design for a brooch,” said Supot. “Each section of the bamboo is unique and can be turned into a pattern. Bamboo work is fun, and you will never know how each piece will come out. It’s like making something new all the time.”
Saprang’s accessories may encourage others to come up with new ideas, Supot enthused, and this is rewarding for a niche designer like him.
Jewellery from MCL by Matthew Campbell Laurenza, Sarran and Saprang brands will be on display at “The Niche Showcase” during the 60th Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair 2017, until Sunday at Challenger Hall 1-3, Impact, Muang Thong Thani.