Challenge: Wholesale vs Retail client desires

So ShopDunitz launched a few days ago. And I'm thrilled because the site is absolutely beautiful. The feedback has been great. We've even received a few orders.  Not bad since we have our work cut out for us in terms of promoting the site. Not only will we have the challenge of promoting the site, but the challenge of offering designs our customers choose to purchase.
Years ago we used to stage an annual holiday sale.  Friends and family of mine and our staff would drop by the offices to pick up a few gifts. I was always surprised that in a "retail" situation, customers often chose completely different designs and colors than my "wholesale/store owners" did at trade shows.  I never figured out how that could be.  It was never unusual for our 'holiday sale' shoppers to select items I could not place in retail stores.
Step ahead many years.  ShopDunitz is loaded up with goodies. We've offered some of our best sellers (in retail stores) and some things we think are gorgeous and didn't sell well at the wholesale trade shows.  The site has it all!  We're absolutely NOT going to tell you which is which.  What I can say is in the first orders we've received online, we've sold both.
Punchline. You'll love our site.  You'll find items that under other circumstances would not make it to store shelves. And our history shows that this is definitely a good thing. -ND

#ShopDunitz has launched

We've done it. And it was a long time in the making. For years I've received emails and calls from consumers from towns around the US, where Dunitz did not have brick & mortar shops offering our #fairtrade jewelry. We've tried to accommodate our fashionista followers as best we could. The truth is - it's been impossible to do so without a retail website. We've been so busy with our primary business, wholesaling our beaded and fused glass jewelry we couldn't focus on creating a retail site for our fans that can't otherwise find our designs. We knew it was going to be a lot of work creating a tasteful site that featured our goodies in a way that would make us proud. Well, we did it!  Now you can visit and ShopDunitz  - & I know you'll love what you find.  You can even use our store locator function (and possibly find a shop carrying our line in your area).  A big thank you goes out to Ross Sabes, our fearless designer.  He has an impeccable eye and visually communicated our message in a way we don't think could have been done any better.  Go to www.shopdunitz.com & let me know what you think? #shopdunitz #fairtradejewelry #360fairtrade -ND

Do You See or Feel?

When you're looking at models wearing hip clothing and/or jewelry what do you see or feel?  Do you see the items being worn?  Do you capture the "feeling" of any given shot and note the emotions it brings out in you?  Do you long to look like or feel like you think the model feels in the photo?  As a recent photographer of models wearing Dunitz & Company fair trade jewelry, I wonder what I most want to convey to my audience.  What do they want to really see and feel?
Recently I showed some of my photography to an old time Hollywood actor friend of mine.  His initial reaction was to say that I should want people to look at the jewelry and not the models.  He was afraid that models could be too pretty and distracting.  And then I reflected on so many magazine spreads I've enjoyed that seemed to merely evoke emotions - not necessarily pitch a specific item.  What do you think? -ND

Color Color - Blocks of Color

I've always loved colors. I've always loved pairing colors. (Will that brown shirt go with the red striped skirt?)  One of my favorite parts of creating any jewelry collection is mixing and matching colors. I can spend hours and hours creating the perfect combinations.
In recent months, I've noticed trade magazines telling "stories" by color.  Red hot looks. Summer Orange. Ocean Blue.  It only seemed right to create a new group of jewelry - fused glass from "Joanie M" - primarily based on color. Yes - Blocks of colors.  I think this new group will be a hit with our customers.  What do you think? To see more, register and login on the www.dunitz.com wholesale website! -ND

The True Cost

Watch the documentary, The True Cost!

Two small world happenings were the catalysts for my mentioning this film today. First, a friend of mine took her daughter to a screening earlier this week at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles. Second, I was emailing back and forth with an old friend from high school (we have a reunion coming up) and she noticed and was impressed that I had liked this film on Facebook.  It turns out that her son is a childhood friend of the film’s director, Andrew Morgan.  

Do you know where your clothes come from? Have you ever stopped to think about it? Are you typically only concerned about finding the retailer with the lowest prices?  If you answered – no, no, yes to any of these questions, I recommend you watch the documentary film The True Cost.  You might find a screening near you by checking their website. You can also watch it on Netflix or download it using other streaming services. Give them a thumbs up on Facebook.

This film covers and explains the global epidemic of ‘fast fashion’ so well.  It effectively illustrates how first world consumers demanding lower prices and constant availability of new designs catapults profit seeking conglomerates into sourcing production to the lowest bidder.  This results in garment workers working in unsafe conditions and not having the ability to feed or school their families.  The director of this film, Andrew Morgan first delved into this topic after the Rana Plaza garment factory collapse in Bangladesh in 2013 were over 1000 people were killed and many more injured.  I promise you, after you see this film, you will re-think where and how you purchase your clothing.

My business is a member of the Fair Trade Federation.  You can visit FTF website to learn more about fair trade practices.  I always go back to the golden rule. Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.  I urge you to think about how and what you purchase. Think  a little more about where things are made.  We need to carefor all of our world’s citizens. -ND

New Logo for Fair Trade Federation

Fair Trade Federation unveiled a new logo a few days ago at the annual FTF conference. 

Why now?  FTF has been working fearlessly to distinguish what members do differently - beyond what many participating in fair trade do. FTF developed the 360° fair trade message to capture FTF members' deep, long lasting and holistic partnerships with artisans and farmers.  Our prior logo didn't adequately reflect the depth and richness of 360° fair trade. 

Why this design? The new logo reflects the very essence of 360° fair trade. The circular mark created by four interdependent hands powerfully communicates the holistic cooperation, across cultures and geographies, that defines FTF membership.

Look carefully. You will see the four hands swirling in a circular movement. Each is decorated differently.  I must confess, when I first looked (and look) at the logo I saw the blank space in the center which appears like swimming snakes.  I've been re-educating my brain to see the hands first.

You will find FTF member using this logo on their websites, social media and other marketing materials.  Some of us hang the logo proudly in our trade show booths.  With our old logo, it had to be presented as black text on a white background.  We can now present the new and current logo with black or white text - on different color backgrounds.  The attached photo illustrates the flexibility members will have going forward when they present the logo. - ND

Music Feeding the Soul

I had dinner with my 20-something niece the other evening.  She mentioned that she bought a turntable and was now collecting LPs.  (I still have mine from the day and told her to come rifle through them.)  Our conversation reminded me of how much I enjoy listening to music and playing DJ in my own home. I put one song on my turntable and another ready to go on the CD player. Sometimes I listen to the same song 5 times before I move on.  Note to self: Play DJ more often.

Dunitz & Company is getting ready to exhibit at the Boston Gift Show, April 2-5.  As I was doing some last minute prep work, I started thinking about songs that remind me of Boston. Two immediately came to mind. Please Come to Boston by Dave Loggins (1974) and Dirty Water from the Standells (1966). [I remember my older sister playing and singing along to this '45' when I was a tot.]  And then there is Rock and Roll Band from, yes, Boston and Massachusetts, an oldie but goody from the Bee Gees. Dare I ask? What songs remind you of Boston? - ND