Yet the connection goes beyond just a commercial one, she added: “The relationship with the brands keeps people in the same circle of friends, and buying is part of keeping their position in society.”
It is not only blue-chip brands that organize events. Last summer David Morris, a family-owned jewelry company in London, invited 20 clients to a private villa on the Greek island of Mykonos where they enjoyed a couple of days of sunny weather, dance performances and fine dining. Of course jewelry was on the menu, too.
In November, the house’s sales team was “still engaged in ongoing conversations with the clients who attended the event,” said Jeremy Morris, the company’s managing director, who hosted the event with his daughter, Cecily, the brand’s content manager. He added that sales from the event include some pieces set with Paraiba tourmaline, a stone that has become a signature of David Morris creations.
Several small-scale receptions or other events scattered throughout the year are now a cornerstone of the marketing strategy at some emerging brands.
Hattie Wombwell, the chief executive of the fine jewelry brand Anoona Jewels, said that attracting potential clients to the brand’s debut party in London in November was critical to convey the “brand’s story, true personality.” It hired Louise de Turckheim, a publicist and luxury goods specialist, to invite 65 guests for champagne and canapés at Caviar Kaspia, now a private club.
And Lily Gabriella Elia, the founder of Lily Gabriella Jewelry, uses her showroom in the upscale Burlington Arcade in London for events. “We usually choose themes,” she said. “For example, recently, we picked crystal healing and birthstones, and we also organize events hosted by existing clients for their friends.”