Thinking in Color

I've been building my collection for so many years, twice a year.  I can be sitting at my desk in Los Angeles and visualize all of the beads and components in our Guatemala workshop!  OK - I have lots of jewelry in the office too.  This helps when I want to see how one bead looks with another.  Sometimes the opaque beads look just a bit too heavy with the transparent ones. 
In order to create my colors for any given season, I carefully watch the ready-to-wear fashion shows.  This starts with the NY runway shows...& then Paris, London and Milan.  I study the trends.  Taking a few trends on, I do my best to match beads with outfits that tell the various stories.  Here are some color stories that will evolve into a Fall 2014 beaded collection.  We'll also use these color stories to create our fused glass colors for the upcoming season. I can't give away all of my secrets. But for now, let's say it is fun to share these. -ND

Living By Fair Trade Principles - Building Capacity

As most of you know, Dunitz & Company is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation.  We've been doing business the same way...since 1990.  We joined FTF in 2008 and we continue to live by the Fair Trade Federation Principles. From time to time, I would like to comment on the various principles. Today, I wanted to pay tribute to Principle #3 - or "Building Capacity."  FTF defines this as:
Fair Trade is a means to develop producers’ independence. Members maintain long-term relationships based on solidarity, trust, and mutual respect, so that producers can improve their skills and their access to markets. Members help producers to build capacity through proactive communication, financial and technical assistance, market information, and dialogue. They seek to share lessons learned, to spread best practices, and to strengthen the connections between communities, including among producer groups.
Bravo and well said for those of us that continue to work in the same communities for many years.  I believe building capacity and "sustainability" works in all directions.  It isn't always about the workers - although this is what many fair traders focus on when speaking about their businesses and community. Loyalty works in all directions.  By working with the same beading community for nearly 25 years, I have found this community to be loyal (and loving) to me.  Together we've been able to develop and improve our quality, designs & distribution. The truth is this community sustains me just as much as I sustain them. Working this way is never a 'one shot' deal. It is consistent, solid, nurturing and yes, sustaining for all.
I have been developing similar relationships (albeit younger) with artisans in Guatemala creating the Joanie M fused glass line and in Peru with our leather flowers.  Both these projects are about three years old.  It is amazing how working with FTF Principles solidifies my relationships with the artisans I work with. I know I take good care of the folks I work with.  But, honestly, I think they might take better care of me :)! - ND
 

Black is Back

Or maybe it was NEVER gone! Over the last few years we've hears "Brown is the new Black", "Grey is the new Black"...or even "White is the new Black".  I'm saying BLACK IS THE NEW BLACK!  I scour the runway show photos for color inspiration for my Dunitz & Company AND Joanie M jewelry collections each and every season. I love colorful jewelry. So, I'm always thrilled to see emerald, jade, orchid, red, cobalt, eggplant and pumpkin shades. One thing is clear.  Most of designers are heavily using black for Fall 2014 clothing. In many cases, black is included in patterned or floral fabric. What is so strong from all of the designers this #RTW season is straight up BLACK.  Hmmmmm.  Serves us well over here.  Our colorful jewelry will look 'perfecto' on all of the jet black clothing. Black is Back! (Or maybe it was never gone!).  Samples of black outfits are pictured here. These hail from by Bally, Jil Sander and Sonia Rykiel. -ND

Forever Emerald

I've been busy working on Fall 2014 colors... color combinations for the Dunitz and Joanie M jewelry lines.  My inspiration comes from many places.  However, I must confess, watching the fashion runway shows provides me the most ideas. The thing I KNOW  (no matter what I see on the runway) is that blues and greens mixed with any shade or tint of brown  NEVER go out of fashion.  Pantone told us that "Emerald" was the color of the year for 2013.  Skip ahead to 2014.  Emerald and shades of jade are significantly represented in a good majority of the NY, London, Milan and Paris shows.  Bottom line.  I love blues/jades/greens with browns.  And after designing colorful jewelry for nearly 25 years - it doesn't matter if it is 1990 or 2014.  Lots and lots of people love these color combinations. (By the way, Pantone tells us "Radiant Orchid", a purplish lavender-esque color is where it's at for 2014.   Don't believe them.  Dunitz & Joanie M will sell blues, jades & greens over purple in almost any season!)  The photos of clothing attached all are from Fall 2014 runway shows. In order, the outfits were designed by Barbara Tfank, Jil Sander, Carolina Herrera, Christian Siriano and Vivienne Tam. -ND

Kismet & Our Peruvian Flowers

I love telling the story of how I met James. James is the artisan who creates our lovely colorful (and fair trade) sheepskin flower pins and barrettes.
I was vacationing in Cusco in 2011. While perusing a small shop, I found a bowl of the cutest little leather flower pins and purchased one.  (Heck, I was wondering if I could take this small gem to Guatemala and make something similar out of fabric.)

Later that day, I was meeting a friend of mine for lunch who had been doing business in Peru for many years.  He invited a friend of his, Pepe to join us.  As it turns out, Pepe works with the Peruvian government to help artisans develop their businesses.  You might be guessing where this is heading.  But, I tell you, you cannot guess the final punch line.  I showed Pepe my flower.  He said "I think I know who made that flower but I haven't seen this artisan for 7 or 8 years.  Where did you find it?"
I dragged Pepe and my friend to the tienda where I had purchased the flower. Pepe asked the owners if the flowers had been made by James.  After learning in fact it had, the store owners gave Pepe the number where James could be reached.
Ding Ding Ding. "James, It's Pepe. Oh dear!  You no longer live in Cusco.  You've moved to Lima. You've fallen on hard times.  Please meet my friend Nancy tomorrow.  She is on her way back to the USA."
Arrangements were made and I met James the very next day in Lima.  But here is the CRAZY punch line!  Jim's flowers were selling nowhere else in Peru - except the very shop I purchased that one tiny flower. Kismet.  Needless to say, I have changed James life these past two years. His beautiful flowers have been selling and selling and selling for Dunitz and Company. And if they're working for us, we know they're selling through at the shops that purchase from us!  Now don't you love this story?  You can see the flowers in the pic attached.  And that's a pic of me with James. - ND

Loving Byron

I just realized that I've been ignoring this blog....AGAIN. I just wrote a short post about the new O.BYRON line of fair trade handbags Dunitz & Company will be debuting this summer. I wanted to share a photo of that sweet boy (this one taken in the office in 2009) the new line is named for. My love for Byron will shower the same on the O.BYRON line :) -ND

Recycled Rubber & High Design

It's been challenging to bring a new, hip and environmentally conscious hand bag line to market. And, that new line will debut next week at the Los Angeles Gift Show. See the new O.BYRON collection in the Dunitz booth, #1031.
It became clear to me earlier this year that my excitement for my business had been waning. I'm guessing it had just become too routine for me. I've been involved with designing and selling my beaded jewelry line (from Guatemala) for well over 20 years. It's been steady and wonderful...but not unexpected.
Some new found joy was created when I ventured to Peru in April/May. While in Peru, I met two wonderful designers who have a workshop where they have been busy creating wonderful things for home decor and personal use. Better yet, they were and are primarily using recycled elements to create their items. We decided to collaborate on a handbag line made of recycled rubber. The rubber we are using primarily comes from tires and inner tubes. The new designs are fashion forward and fair trade. What is even closer to my heart is I have trademarked the line O.BYRON. To most it sounds like a random (designer) person's name. To those who know Dunitz well, you will know this is a tribute to my best friend of 15 1/2 years. My dog and Dunitz mascot passed when I was in Peru. - ND