Back in March 2020, Nina Dzhokhadze realized that her Connect Showroom, which was representing a dozen fine-jewelry designers during Paris Fashion Week, would be the last that year. The London-based jeweler — who is also the cofounder of NeverNot, a brand specializing in colorful enameled pieces — quickly came up with an alternative way to link designers up with global retailers and international store buyers. She launched her digital showroom platform, the Connect Agency, a few months later, in time for the fall presentations that most buyers could not attend due to Covid-19-related travel restrictions.
How has the Connect Agency changed the way you showcase your designers to potential buyers?
The platform somehow offers a wider perspective. We reached out to more buyers who were able to say [they] want to see what [we] have. In Paris, sometimes they would run late for an appointment and not be able to pop into the venue. But this time, no one had an excuse. Everyone was watching from home, and we managed to really push the brands forward. Platforms such as Farfetch, as well as stores in the US, Middle East and Eastern Europe, picked up really good brands from us.
Did buyers shop differently on this digital medium than in your previous face-to-face interactions?
It’s difficult for a lot of buyers, especially when picking a new brand they have never seen before. It’s already a big risk to invest in a designer’s collection. But they did make the orders. What I’ve noticed is that quite a lot of buyers preferred to have different designers with smaller orders rather than one designer with a bigger collection. I think they prefer to surprise their final consumer with a [broader] choice, this time from different brands.
How can designers join your agency?
We create different options for them to be able to join us if they want to. It’s not like other agencies that usually have crazy fees and very exclusive contracts. I don’t want to suffocate any designer, I’m a designer myself, so they need to know that they can do whatever they want. [Still,] I need to be careful who I take on board, because I want them to succeed. The main criteria, of course, is the design of the pieces — and the collection itself, the price point [and] the craftsmanship are very important. I [need to] see there is the potential with my buyers, and I know what buyers are looking for. There are so many jewelry designers that are talented, and they are all over the world, and maybe they’re not so big and they don’t have a huge team, but they have so much potential. Usually what they need is a little encouragement and support telling them that they’re doing the right thing and they’re doing it the right way. Or maybe just giving them honest feedback, which is also very important.
What will happen once it’s possible to use physical showrooms again?
When we go back to normal face-to-face showroom interactions, we will still have our digital platform for whoever is not able to physically attend. If you cannot come and visit me, come and visit my website.
theagencyconnect.com Article from the Rapaport Magazine - February 2021. To subscribe click here.