A colorful quarter-size talisman hanging from your jeans? This is the appeal of Jean Jewel, one of the hottest new trends in jewelry, and it has local origins. Palisadian Carrie Pollare partnered up with Denton Jewelers owner Saad Mazboudi to develop and produce Jean Jewel, a type of jewelry worn on the belt loops of jeans. Pollare and her brother/business partner Dan Hoffman first heard about the product concept when they met with film producer Wendy Thorlakson early this year. “Wendy is naturally creative and stylish,” Pollare said. “She’s a fun, very hip woman.” Thorlakson, who has since become a partner in the business, said her inspiration came from her own fashionable idea to spice up her jeans by hanging chains from the belt loop, according to Pollare. The product’s potential for success in a broad market appealed to Pollare and her brother, who had started their own development company, 2CC (2Cool Corp.) in 2000. “The whole universe wears jeans,” Pollare said. “The only requirement [for wearing Jean Jewel] is something with a belt loop.” Because Pollare and Hoffman knew nothing about the jewelry business, they turned to Mazboudi for advice and brought him on board as the fourth partner. “Saad is not only a tremendous fountain of information, I knew he could help us get started,” said Pollare, a longtime Denton Jewelers customer. Mazboudi liked the Jean Jewel concept because “it was very noveau and could also be very affordable.” The jewelry, which looks like a mix between charm bracelets and fancy key chains, comes in sterling silver or 14K yellow gold and ranges from $55-800. Harper’s Bazaar dubbed the pieces “beaux danglers.” Pollare designed the “JJ” (Jean Jewel) insignia set above the charm, while Mazboudi helped with the mechanics, like the number of links on the chain and the addition of the copyright tag. They had the prototype ready to go in June, along with a Web site (www.jeanjewel.com), which Pollare and Hoffman designed. “We’re computer people so the site was up in three weeks,” said Pollare, who had previously worked as a partner in DISC Distributing, a $150-million computer company her brother started in 1982. They closed the company in 2000 to “get back to our roots and do entrepreneurial things,” Pollare said. With 2CC, she and Hoffman produced unique products such as a reinvented spinning top and handbags made of stingray by Palisades fashion designer Debra McGuire. In March, they created a new company, GDT, in order to develop and produce Jean Jewel with Thorlakson and Mazboudi. Self-funded, GDT has a three-person support staff in addition to the four partners. Mazboudi originally began manufacturing the jewelry at Denton’s, and was turning out 50 to 100 pieces a week over the summer. “We’re not geared for mass production,” said Mazboudi, who could not keep up with the fast-growing popularity of Jean Jewel, and suggested they do their manufacturing in Thailand. Jean Jewel has also added a production facility in the downtown L.A. jewelry district. The company began with 75 different styles and now has about 250. Jean Jewel Classic comes in sterling silver and features the JJ insignia as its centerpiece while Mystique, which comes in silver and 14K yellow gold, has a different, spiritual-looking symbol at its center. Jean Jewel Chain attaches to two belt loops and hangs below the hip, and JJ Neck offers a collection of necklaces in the Jean Jewel style. Popular designs by Balinese designer Shankari include semi-precious stones and crystals while the Mexican-inspired Nagual line offers spiritual motifs, skulls and crosses. Italian Millefiori glass and a personalized design with initials are also in demand. “No one who walks by the Jean Jewel case doesn’t stop to look at them,” said Mazboudi, whose male customers have been buying the new jewelry for their wives and children. The first Jean Jewel piece sold was a $800 Shankari creation for a 54-year-old New York woman. Pollare said that business snowballed after Mariah Carey wore a white butterfly Jean Jewel on “The Today Show” this past summer. “After that I heard from people all over the world,” Pollare said. Jean Jewel now has large markets in Japan and Canada, in addition to the United States. Los Angeles retailers include Theodore, Planet Blue, Ice Accessories, including Ice Accessories/Sparkle at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, and Bloomingdale’s at the Beverly Center, among others. The Jean Jewel office is located in the 881 Alma Real building, suite 220. For more information or to order a Jean Jewel product, visit www.jeanjewel.com or call 230-4557.
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