Jane Taylor Jewelry» Cleo’s Blog

Introducing Jane Taylor Jewelry at Fragments!

Cleo Zancope — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:12:18 +0000

We are so PUMPED to announce that in July we will be making our debut with the Fragments Showroom! Sadly, we won’t be attending the Couture Show this year because we are busy little bees working on the new gold collection for Fragments, but we’ll be living vicariously through everyone’s Instagram accounts Don’t forget to follow us too @janetaylorjewelry for a look at the inspiration and designs behind the new collection, Rosebud!

Spring 2013: A Photo Diary

Cleo Zancope — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:42:06 +0000

So far, this year has been a whirlwind for Jane and I! There’s been a fair share of traveling for new projects and lots of new designs in the works. I’ve been snapping photos along the way with the intention of sharing them much sooner on the blog, but y’all know how life has a tendency to get in the way of the best laid plans. So here they are- in reverse chronological order- to give you guys a glimpse of what’s been going on “behind the scenes” with Jane Taylor Jewelry. Most recently, we joined the Fragments showroom, and couldn’t be more excited about it! (For those not in the industry, Fragments is a jewelry powerhouse that represents some of the most talented established and up-and-coming designers out there, so we are beyond honored to become a part of the gang.) The photos go all the way back to February when we visited the Gem Shows in Tuscon, AZ, so hopefully you guys enjoy the ride via photos as much as we have these past few months. Also, where has this year gone?! Seriously people, it’s May, how did that happen?

Marvelous Mommas!

Cleo Zancope — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:34:12 +0000

Working with my mom, I can’t help but be especially aware of Mother’s Day! It’s a rare opportunity for us to step out of our habitual role as partners-in-jewelery-crime and just be the goofy pair that we are. Growing up with divorced parents and no siblings, my mom and I developed a wonderfully complex relationship that straddles the line between mother-daughter, sisters and friends. Having thrown the employee-employer dynamic into the mix can occasionally make for a bumpy roller-coaster, but when push comes to shove, Jane and I have an unbreakable bond and an uncanny ability to induce hysterical laughter in one another.

Jane has always been the type to frequently pick up little gifts for me, whether it’s white chocolate while she’s out food shopping or an extra pair of wool socks for my perpetually cold feet. Come Mother’s Day, I’m always excited to give her all the little goodies I’ve been secretly collecting! Even if every year, without fail, she tells me not to buy her anything, it’s too much fun seeing her eyes light up when I surprise her with something totally unexpected.

With the spirit of that joyful experience in mind, I selected some unique items from our Bubble & Squeak collection that would appeal to a range of marvelous mommas! One of the most fabulous things about the world we live in lies in people’s diversity. Creating and selling jewelry is fascinating because we are able to experience first-hand all of the different preferences people have for shapes and colors! I hope (fingers-crossed) that I was able to capture some of that diversity in my selections, but if there are any other pieces you find yourself saying, “Oh my mom would love this!,” please shot me an email at info@janetaylor.com and I would be overjoyed to help.

All my love to you and your momma,
Cleo

PS: The rings and earrings below are available to buy in our shop page!

Emerald Reigns in 2013

Cleo Zancope — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:45:12 +0000

As a company, it’s safe to say that we are pretty color obsessed. We eagerly await all of Pantone’s various color announcements, from seasonal predictions to the grand daddy “Color of the Year” crowning. 2013′s title-holder has been announced as Emerald, a beloved hue by just about any one with a soft spot for jewelry. Pantone describes the color:

“Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. It’s also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity – no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.”

We love this choice of color to represent 2013 both for its emotional significance and beautiful hue!

We’re Officially Pinteresting!

Cleo Zancope — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 20:18:50 +0000

Well, I’ve been on my soapbox yapping about Pinterest for a year now, and after reaping the personal rewards of my account for so long, we decided it was time to jump on the train professionally. For those friends and fans that have yet to join, I would say that there is no better time to join then now, with the Holidays fast approaching. The site possesses a wealth of gift, decoration, and recipe ideas to help you navigate this both insanely busy and joyful time of year!

I’ve been having a blast working on our “Hollydaze” board! It is chock-full of delicious looking recipes, crafty/creative decoration ideas, and a couple cocktails to ease you through the “oh my god the dog won’t stop barking/children are crying/pie is burning/20 people are about to show up at my house” moments.

Another favorite of mine is our “Behind The Scenes” board. It’s a great place to get an inside look at the workings of Jane Taylor Jewelry and catch sneak peeks of the newest designs Jane is working on!

We hope you’ll join us on Pinterest to participate in the sharing of wonderful images and ideas…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cleo

Inspiration: Modernized Classics

Cleo Zancope — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:38:46 +0000

All of the visuals coming at us from Fall magazines and the S/S ’13 fashion weeks have us inspired by the idea of modernized classics. Taking something you think of as a classic piece of clothing/accessory/style/etc…and throwing a modern twist on it. Two of our favorite examples below: the Burberry trench, given an insanely gorgeous (and colorful) metallic makeover, and a classic desert boot, gone ga-ga for glitter! (Clearly, we like shiny, sparkly things.)

In my July post on our inspirations, I mentioned that we were going to be playing around with the contrast of classic shapes and bright colors in our newest collection, Happy. As JT puts her final touches on the designs and we get closer to seeing finished samples, I can’t help but think that the place in the design universe where opposites collide- old meets new, structure meets softness, ornament meets clean lines- is full of goosebump inducing excitement. I promise to post pictures of the new designs as soon as I can!

Cheers!
Cleo

Plum Perfect

Cleo Zancope — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 19:51:43 +0000

Yesterday afternoon, I received my daily Fashion Alert from The Cut, the self described online “fashion, beauty, politics, sex and celebrity” arm of New York Magazine. Each afternoon, a bevy of articles are delivered to my inbox that always keep me entertained and informed. Of colorful prominence in yesterday’s delivery was a piece about “30 Ways to Wear Plum for Fall.” The teaser image was full of richly hued and textured items, and the gallery of images supplied lots of juicy goodies to covet for fall. Which got me thinking, we have some lovely plum colored pieces that I should share! So without further ado, a collage of our jewelry mixed with our favorite selections from The Cut’s article. Cheers to September 22 and the start of Fall!

Clockwise: ASOS platform image from The Cut, our Color Candy ring with rhodolite garnet and pink sapphires, Marc Jacobs jacket image from The Cut, our Twinkle Twinkle rhodolite garnet and diamond frame necklace, Jill Sander loafers image from The Cut, and our Bubble & Squeak oval necklace with rhodolite garnet.

Cleo’s Fall JT Jewelry Wishlist

Jane Taylor — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:59:27 +0000

Exactly one year ago, I wrote my first post in my “JT Jewelry Wishlist” series. How time flies! Speaking of, with Summer’s end quickly approaching, I have been putting off writing about anything Fall-related because I’m just not ready to say goodbye to bathing suit weather! Despite this summer having started earlier than usual and not having any AC, I still am sad to see that September is a mere 18 days away. Which is kind of silly. I mean, I AM excited for slightly cooler temps, outfits with layers, wearing beanies on messy-hair-days, and using my stove/oven more…but just not SO excited that I am ready to gleefully bid Summer farewell. It’s always a painful parting, thank goodness for a late-Summer birthday, Labor Day Weekend, and a JT Jewelry wishlist to ease me through it!

PS: In case you want to take a peek at my previous wishlists: Fall 2011 | Winter 2011 | Spring 2012

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Item #1: I’ve been digging this emeraldy green color ever since I first saw this ring from our new silver collection. Coincidentally, there’s a green entitled “Ultramarine Green” on Pantone’s Fall ’12 Fashion Color Report that’s practically identical to the stone we chose- must be fate!

Item #2: These rings are slightly tapered for stacking perfection and come in a zillion hues… I would happily wear them in any color!

Item #3: It’s no secret that I love the color orange, and this carnelian necklace is the perfect shade for Fall. Lending a touch of elegance and drama to any outfit, I would dig it with sleek button-downs and chunky sweaters alike.

Item #4: Hello again emerald green! These post earrings have just enough edge to make me feel tough-girl-chic without looking like a scary biker chick.

Item #5: I’ve had the pleasure of wearing these Hex bangles at a few work events and LOVE them. Comfortable, jingly, understated but colorful, and unique; in short they’re pretty fab.

I hope you all have a great rest of your Summer!
Cheers,
Cleo

Inspiration: Happy Colors

Cleo Zancope — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 16:13:02 +0000

As fall merchandise has begun to show up in retail stores, and Spring/Summer ’13 Fashion Week is just over a month away, we find ourselves once again designing new product. Sometimes we draw inspiration from fashion designers, sometimes from nature, and other times we find ourselves chuckling that we’ve all tapped into some design sect of the collective unconscious. We are constantly “screen-shoting” things we see on the web and taking pictures of colorful moments we don’t want to forget, so we put together an inspiration board to share some of what’s going on in our brains with you!

Photo credits, clockwise: Derek Lam dress show on Moda Operandi (MO), Cushnie et Ochs dress and fabric shown on MO, Jason Wu clutches shown on MO, Marc Jacobs outfits from Refinery29, new Jane Taylor earrings, Tibi dress from MO, outfit from J.Crew F/W 2012 Lookbook, flower ice cream cones from Pinterest, mini bucket of gemstones at the JT offices, new JT ring. Sunset, flowers, and landscape imagery personal property of JTJ.

In researching what was to come from Pantone for Spring/Summer ’13, we found some great insight from a blog discussing sustainable fashion, and some great examples from Moda Operandi.

The Pantone pallets for S/S’13 display a “unity” theme, reflecting cultural and lifestyle trends in America. This translates to a study of the connectivity between how colors interact with other colors, textures, shapes, and prints. On the top right is a wildly patterned frock from Cushnie et Ochs, which exemplifies the contrast of a bold pattern using bright colors, against the soft and modest silhouette of the dress. The aforementioned blog article expertly describes some of the color palettes as being a mix of “organic vs. techno,” and this dress most definitely fits that description. Another example of creating designs in classic shapes, but using bold color, is the beautiful blue number from Derek Lam on the right. Some of the new designs we’re working on are going to use those gorgeous little stones on the left side of the board, and will also be playing with the contrast of classic shapes with bright colors- we are excited!

In general, natural beauty always inspires us, especially the sky and flowers. Mother Nature is the best colorblocker out there, and always reminds us of how much joy can be created simply with color!

Stay tuned for more on what inspires us and the new collection in the works, which JT want’s to name “Happy,” because that’s how she wants people to feel when they wear it! The image below was found on Pinterest and reminded me of what we’re up to…

Couture 2012 Photo Diary

Cleo Zancope — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 20:09:34 +0000

A peek into my trip with JT to Las Vegas for the Couture show. I didn’t take nearly enough pictures, but I do love the ones I was able to take.

JT and I walking to set up our booth on the first morning of the show. JT was apparently still a bit sleepy.

JT at our booth on day #1, talking with one of her oldest friends in the industry, Joanne.

We got to see Taio Cruz perform at Couture’s opening night party and it was awesome! JT danced, danced, danced, danced…

Every year we stay at the Wynn for the Couture show, it feels more like my “home away from home” in Vegas, and this little enclave of trees wrapped with lights and loads of flowers is my favorite spot.

Every year, I would try to get a picture of us in my favorite area, but it was always impossible on my dinky digital camera. This year, that changed courtesy of the iPhone! This is definitely blurry, but I love it nonetheless.

Self-photography with JT

Right across from where we exhibit is the Wynn pool. It’s a bit of a cruel joke. But at least there were cocktails on the patio one night so I could enjoy the view!

Trade shows = exhaustion = room service. How cute are those mini Le Creuset pots?! If you ever find yourself ordering Wynn room service, definitely get the pictured mac & cheese but avoid the creamed spinach.

Town & Country Magazine treated us all to sweets every afternoon, it was great! These macarons were served up on the second-to-last day of the show.