Some retailers are taking a nuanced approach to marketing what can be a difficult holiday for many.
Ylang 23’s Holding a New Designer Competition
The deadline for entries is later this week and the winning jewelry designer will receive free mentoring, among other prizes.

New York--Dallas jeweler Ylang 23 is looking for the next big name in jewelry design.
The retailer has partnered with fashion incubator TrendSeeder on a competition called The Next Now: An Open Call for Emerging Jewelry Designers.
“It has always been in my DNA to mentor and develop young talent, and I’ve always wanted to do it on a more formalized basis,” said Ylang 23 founder and managing director Joanne Teichman.
The competition will allow jewelry designers to privately present their collections to a panel of judges, comprised of Teichman, Steven Alan, CEO of his namesake brand and retail company, jewelry designer Melissa Joy Manning, Town & Country Accessories Director Will Kahn, and TrendSeeder founder and CEO Avani Patel.
The judges will select one winner to be awarded 20 hours of mentorship from Manning and Teichman, online promotion on Ylang23.com with possibility of a purchase order, a one-year membership to TrendSeeder and a meeting with the Steven Alan team for potential distribution in Steven Alan stores.
“I enjoy taking part in discovering new talent so I am excited to be a part of this TrendSeeder event,” said Manning. “I hope that I can influence the emerging designers in this competition to develop their own unique voice within the industry.”
“It’s exciting to think of the impact we can have on the contestants,” added Teichman, “who will receive feedback in real time, as well as the winner, who will receive 20 hours of mentorship from Melissa Joy Manning and me, as well as the possibility of purchase orders.”
Teichman credited her daughter Alysa, who rejoined Ylang 23 after completing an MBA at New York University, with making The Next Now a reality.
Interested jewelry designers must apply by this Saturday, Aug. 20 at 11:59pm at TheNextNow.us.
The judging portion of The Next Now competition, in which designers will present their work to the panel, will be held on Aug. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Ace Hotel in New York.
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