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An interview with Bronwen Lodato, owner/designer, Bronwen Jewelry OSD: How did you get started making jewelry? BL: In my twenties, I was leading back- country expeditions and noticed that women love to wear jewelry, even when they are being active. There wasn't any jewelry out there that was sexy but sturdy enough for women to wear for travel, work, and play, so I designed a line of jewelry with this woman in mind. These days, my style is more sophisticated and urban, but I still design with a strong function compo- nent, and much of my collection is appropriate for active lifestyle. OSD: What inspires your designs? BL: I always feel like I should have some artistically impressive answer to this question! Travel fuels my cre- ativity, and designing jewelry is my outlet. Like many designers making a living in creative fields, I tap an inner source that ebbs and flows, and use my experience BRONWEN: ADVENTURE CHIC JEWELRY From early childhood, Pennsylvania native Charles Albert was an avid stone collector, fascinated by the fos- sils and minerals he encountered while exploring the lot next to his grand- mother's house. Although he didn't know it at the time, stones would later define his future! It is almost impossible to believe, but Charles Albert, Inc, was started with just $60 and a lot of determination in 1990. Charles met a costume jew- elry manufacturer and purchased 60 pairs of earrings for $60, went into a boutique, and sold all of them for $120. It was simple: buy something for a dollar and then sell it for two. The plan worked well in the early stages with selling costume jewelry and accessories, but he wanted to expand his customer base and sell higher-end mer- chandise. In 1992, while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves, Charles seized the opportunity to learn Spanish in Monterey, Calif. While in California, he met his wife, Beth, who would later join his compa- ny. Fluent in Spanish, he flew to Taxco, Mexico, world famous for silversmithing. Taxco, nestled in An interview with Kathy Kramer, the owner of the Invisibelt company, and cre- ator of its flagship product. OSD: Tell our readers a little about your company. KK: I started Invisibelt in 2008 due to personal necessi- ty. I have a smaller waist and slightly larger hips, and whenever I bought pants, the waist was inevitably too big. I'd always end up at the tailor, paying for pricey alterations, or having to wear a belt. Belts are bulky, especially under fitted tops, and I knew there had to be a better way, so I invented the Invisibelt. The original Invisibelt is clear and flat; it was made to be all about function, not fashion. Now we have many other colors, patterns and styles for the more fashion for- ward. (Hey, same thing as wearing leopard underwear, right?) The function remains the same though. The Invisibelt is flat, undetectable, and completely adjustable, with no belt buckle. It eliminates "back gap" – that embarrassing space at the back of your jeans– and stops you from having to pull your jeans up when they Beautiful fabrics, coordinated colors and patterns: that's the essence of Picnic Plus, the all- season line of products designed for outdoor living and indoor entertaining. This company has been on the fast track over the last several years, gaining media attention with products on the hit TV series "Big Bang Theory;" in the "O List," a feature in Oprah's magazine "O"; as a "Real Simple" magazine Best Product; and gaining international attention. In 2013, Picnic Plus introduced the April Cornell Collection, which embodies the beauty of nature, appre- ciation of friends and family, and global responsibility. By teaming up with April Cornell, Picnic Plus is able to pair delightful fabrics with functional insulated totes, baskets, and many new tabletop items. This partnership aims to "make a special occasion of everyday life." "Who thought of this" and "that's so clever" are common phrases heard over and over again with cus- tomers. Always thinking outside the box, Picnic Plus has brought several ingenious new items to the market in 2013: Scrimmage Travel Table, a lightweight, fully col- Continued on Page 25 Continued on Page 25 Continued on Page 25 Continued on Page 25 INVISIBELT: THE NO-BUCKLE BELT THAT HAS BECOME A FASHION FIX-IT FOR WOMEN CHARLES ALBERT: FROM ROCKS TO RICHES PICNIC PLUS: INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS FOR ALL SEASONS O s e r C o m m u n i c a t i o n s G r o u p N e w Yo r k M o n d a y, A u g u s t 1 9 , 2 0 1 3 An interview with Rose Ajmera, CEO, In- Things Corp OSD: Tell our readers about your com- pany. What's your main line of business? RA: SAACHI, which means "truth," is an accessories line, which blends true Indian artisanship with modern styling to bring fresh accessories to the market. Discover our wide range of scarves, jewelry, tunics and slides that are made from the most luxurious materials. OSD: What products do you see as being hottest this year? RA: Gemstone jewelry is definitely going to trump as the hottest product this year. The SAACHI line has hand-crafted gemstone jewelry with gorgeous stones from all over the world. OSD: What distinguishes your products from the com- petition? RA: All of our accessories are meticulously handcrafted SAACHI: LUXURIOUS ACCESSORIES, INDIAN ARTISANSHIP Viki Ciesiul has been a nature lover and artist her entire life. When she was small, daily walks on the beaches of Southern California with her mother instilled a deep and early love of the ocean and its many moods and colors. Always busy creating, and producing artistically when young, her fascination with the beauty found in form and structure later led to degrees in archi- tecture and art. Jewelry by Viki was born of those life passions. Today, Ciesiul's unique, nature-inspired jewelry line is found in boutiques and galleries across the United States and Canada. The earth-friendly custom jewelry pieces reflect shapes and colors found in nature and combine recycled metals and semi-precious stones. "I find design ideas for Jewelry by Viki everywhere in my natural surround- ings," said Ciesiul. "I take great pleasure in creating pieces that reflect the unique color combinations found in nature, with lines influenced by my background in architecture." Her striking hand-crafted earrings, bracelets and necklaces evoke cascading leaf patterns, delicate branches and ripples of water—the clean, Continued on Page 25 Continued on Page 24 JEWELRY BY VIKI— INSPIRED BY NATURE AN INDEPENDENT PUBLICATION NOT AFFILIATED WITH NY NOW