BACKGROUND: Niche Design Firm Strives To Make Low Key Luxury Part Of Everyday
RELEASE AT WILL
MEDIA CONTACT: IAN SAUDE, T. +1.805.784.0967 (EXT. 402) | E. media@iansaude.com
[july 2008]
(San Luis Obispo, CA) — Headquartered in the heart of wine country on Central California’s Gold Coast, IAN SAUDE INC. designs contemporary fine jewelry and cashmere accessories for individuals, homes, hotels, spas and other distinguished destinations. Founded in 1996 by Ian and Regina Saude, the Company primarily wholesales its casual, nature and fine art-inspired designs to specialty stores, boutiques and designers throughout the United States.
Creative Director Ian Saude explains, “My focus is, first and foremost, on creating beautiful contemporary objects that are chic but casual in appeal — things that make you feel relaxed and elevated at the same time. I also like to use precious materials, so my designs are often referred to as luxuries,” but he adds jokingly, “that is before you own it! If I’m doing my job right, then people should end up wondering how they ever lived without it!”
Inspired by the time-honored methods of hand-craftsmanship and the spirit of local artisans who he encountered while traveling and living in the Far East, Ian’s earliest jewelry collections emphasized the symbols and mythological themes so integral to the regional culture. Crafted principally in 18k gold and colored gemstones, Ian began his career working with a family of expert goldsmiths to realize his designs — artists who have served as private jewelers by appointment to the Royal Nepalese Court for more than six generations.
In 1998, recognizing the opportunity to expand its luxury offerings, Saude and Company introduced its first line of woven cashmere accessories. By 1999, exquisitely executed embroideries in delicate and sophisticated patterns made their way onto the scarves, wraps and throws. Later, the Company explored other couturier sewing techniques, including: ruching, pulled-thread and passementerie work, as well as hand-painting and printing. This wearable art soon became a favorite of buyers in regional boutiques, personal shoppers in major stores, interior designers, and IAN SAUDE’s private clientele. From 1999 through 2005, Saude produced seasonal collections for Spring/Summer and Autumn/Winter, which included cashmere clothing and knitwear, as well as a silk accessory and jewelry lines.
Fall of 2005 saw the introduction of a Home and Lifestyle Cashmere Collection which featured king and queen size blankets, throws, baby blankets and travel blankets in sumptuous textural weaves. Offered in more than 25 decorator colors, these products were initially available exclusively to decorators through the Company’s New York showroom. Simultaneously, Ian continued to partner with other designers and licensees for their private-label designs, developing accessories that found their way into the collections of Giorgio Armani, Lanvin, Hermes, Zegna, Mila Schön, Jo Malone, and others.
Wishing to reinforce his lifestyle brand while remaining true to his goal of creating objects of lasting value — pieces that even the most discriminating individual cannot help but fall in love with — Saude undertook the next step in the Company’s evolution. In May of 2008, he launched a new brand of contemporary fine jewelry and lifestyle products called IAN SAUDĒ: IS. www.iansaude.com Underscoring the Company’s belief that jewelry should transcend mere beauty to enhance every moment of a woman’s life, the designer offers a collection of versatile fashion-forward jewelry, featuring many interchangeable pieces that are geared to evolve with the changes in a woman’s life. Saude’s expert French and Italian trained jewelers painstakingly produce collections of impeccable quality, showcasing their skill at difficult, intricate techniques such as micro-pavé and the organic and sculptural metalwork that are hallmarks of the new collection.
As part of its Lifestyle group, the Company offers specially created cashmere accessories for individuals and their environments. Designed to be contemporary today and destined to become classic tomorrow, IAN SAUDE designs are something that his discriminating clientele will continue to appreciate for years to come.
###