Have you ever wondered how celebrities get the stunning jewelry they wear on red carpets? Well, there’s a large team of PR specialists, stylists, brand marketers and celebrity managers whose months of hard work result in the most gorgeous celebrity looks. One of the most famous celebrity-dressing agencies in Los Angeles, California, is D’Orazio & Associates, a one-stop shop when it comes to fine-jewelry sourcing.
“When I looked at the public relations scene in Los Angeles and New York back in 2001, I was surprised at the lack of PR showrooms dedicated to fine jewelry,” recalls company founder Ginnina D’Orazio. “Seeing an opportunity and acting on instinct, I signed the Italian Trade Commission as my first client. We hosted our inaugural Oscars’ suite in 2001, showcasing Italian fine-jewelry brands and facilitating celebrity loans. After doing these one-off events, stylists would call me for fine jewelry year-round.”
She started her jewelry journey from the back seat of her car, driving jewelry from one location to the other. Through her network of clients, celebrity stylists and editors, she has managed to create a niche for herself in the industry that ultimately led her to open an exclusive jewelry sourcing showroom in 2006. Since then, there’s been no looking back.
Everything in its place
Today, D’Orazio & Associates is a full-service agency with offices in Los Angeles and New York that provide everything from public relations to marketing, celebrity dressing to influencer alignment, brand consulting to social media consulting, and even event production for fine-jewelry, fashion and luxury lifestyle brands.
“Working with the world’s most recognizable and influential celebrities at major international events, our main focus has always been exposure for fine jewelry brands via celebrity placement, influencer integration, and editorial,” continues D’Orazio.
The company’s showroom also plays an important role: It allows celebrities, stylists, editors, publicists and agents to view collections in a private, non-retail environment where they can try multiple looks without the prying eyes of the media. The space also assists the team in coordinating loan memos, returns, shipping, and inventory tracking.
To get the best results, a thorough understanding of each brand and its consumer demographic is a must. But that also means not every partnership works every time, notes D’Orazio. “We’re incredibly specific about who wears what. From the moment we receive a request, our team collaboratively assesses each opportunity to ensure every result our clients receive is strategic. Therefore, we do decline collaborations regularly, as not every opportunity aligns with the client’s vision. Our client’s wishes have always been the utmost important factor of our business.”
Taking names
The world of celebrities and red carpets may sound exciting, but it is also competitive, and reaching the top takes a lot of hard work and some A-list names. From Rihanna to Lady Gaga, Bella Hadid to Kylie Jenner, and Katy Perry to Priyanka Chopra, the D’Orazio team has dressed almost all of Hollywood’s elite. “Michelle Obama at the White House State Dinner in 2016 (and every other time we’ve collaborated with her) and Angelina Jolie walking the red carpet for the first time with Brad Pitt are two iconic moments for our company that will be hard to beat,” says the founder.
The increasing number of red carpets per year and the cutthroat competition in the fashion business has also led to a rise in the number of stylists working with each celebrity. At D’Orazio & Associates, both stylists and the celebrities themselves come to select jewelry directly from the agency. In most cases, says D’Orazio, it’s a loan arrangement.
“There are times celebrities will want to purchase the jewelry after wearing it, which we will help facilitate, but we always receive the jewelry back from the celebrity right after they wear it,” she explains.
Post power
Social media has given the public a front row seat at all the glitziest celebrity gatherings. On the day of major red-carpet events like the Academy Awards, the Cannes Film Festival or even the Met Gala, everyone is glued to their phones just to get a glimpse of the most glamorous and over-the-top fashion looks. That means celebrity posts containing a brand’s jewelry can do wonders for that brand’s account overnight — so the role of an agency like D’Orazio’s becomes particularly important.
“Social media has catapulted the exposure for our brands by enhancing the viewership to a level that was not obtainable before,” she says. “Everything has become immediate now, giving us the [opportunity] to capitalize on a placement the second the celebrity steps on the red carpet. Also, the variety of content we can provide to our clients now is incomparable [thanks to] the convenience of social media.”
Celebrity posts on social media let consumers access the brand directly by clicking through, she continues. That gives the brand an edge and increases its market share, while also making it easier for D’Orazio & Associates to measure direct impressions and keep track of consumer engagement.
“When we secure a celebrity placement, we also facilitate the placement of posts, mentions, and stories with key digital and print media outlets from our curated list, providing them with images, credits and where-to-buy information,” elaborates D’Orazio.
The future of jewelry styling looks promising from her vantage point. “Considering the success of the moments we’ve been able to provide our clients thus far, we
look forward to the continuous challenge of being ready for whatever is next.”
Image: Ginnina D’Orazio.Article from the Rapaport Magazine - October 2019. To subscribe click here.