ICA Sees Fashion Industry Link-Up as Key to Sales Growth

The International Colored Gemstone Association is launching a campaign to increase colored gemstone sales by partnering with the global fashion industry.

"The major components of the campaign consist of ‘marrying’ color to fashion, assisting the retailer in his local marketing efforts, and an overall industry marketing effort," said Jim Littman of The DMB Partnership, appointed campaign director by the ICA.

“I think that partnering with major fashion houses is the first step to accomplish. Fashion houses drive the trends for fashion two years ahead. In that respect, ICA plans to establish a Gem Forecasting Institute, which would make the bond between fashion and colored gemstones even stronger."

Littman is aiming to get the gemstone industry working together with fashion designers, producers, and marketers, and setting up parallel partnerships with leading international jewelry designers to coordinate well integrated fashion trends.

“Helping retailers is central to our initiative, because they are the front line of interaction with consumers and where all levels of the industry will benefit by ongoing increases in gem sales,” he commented. The ICA approved the campaign at its recent biennial Congress in Bangkok.

Littman noted that sales of colored gemstone have been relatively flat with sluggish growth in the past few years. "Lacking any cohesive marketing strategy, colored stones overall continue to be stagnant in the jewelry market,” he explained.