I'm sure we are not alone in experiencing many firsts since COVID19. Prior to now, connecting virtually (beyond social media) was something we hadn't seriously considered for our business. But as the shut down necessitated connecting in more safe methods, we, like many, discovered the power of ZOOM. You mean, there's an easy way to bring everyone together on one screen, to learn, laugh and listen?! YES PLEASE! As the fantastic quote by Albert Einstein declares, "in times of difficulty lies opportunity." We couldn't agree more!
As such, with everyone stuck inside, an audience - literally - held captive, why not offer up an opportunity to meet and learn more about our favorite designers? And such, we came to host our first ever virtual trunk show with the lovely and talented jewelry designer from Brooklyn, Freida Rothman. Freida is enchanting and has a beautiful story to tell - one full of strength, fortitude, grit and yes, lots of glamour. We set out a zoom link and voila! We had a wonderful turnout of fabulous fans. For those that were unable to make it, and as a recap for those that did, here are some of the highlights and important must-knows about the world of Freida Rothman.
Freida shared her story from the very beginning. She was always artistic, inspired by her family's legacy - surviving Auschwitz and beginning a new life in Brooklyn. Her father was a jeweler, did private labels for major well known brands. Artistic her entire life, Freida followed in his foot steps, and designed for many well known brands. Fast forward to her adult life, married with 4 children. Her husband saw how talented she was and encouraged her to go her own way. Relunctunatly, she did, but it wasn't long before she was picked up by Nordstrom's in 25 stores! This recognition gave her confidence, and she went on to create and cultivate her brand as we know it today.
It's important to note that she was of course, donning her stunning jewels. She wore this fabulous necklace: " Signature Double Sided Pendant Chain Link Necklace" seen here.
The enhancer is removeable and is DOUBLE SIDED - meaning, the reverse side gives you a different look. Here are the 2 side by side:
This fantastic pendant is also available on a different chain, should you prefer something longer and less chunky. See piece here.
However - in addition to the versatility of the enhancer, the chain itself is a dynamite piece, and comes in a bracelet as well. The "Perfect Chunky Mixed Metal Link Necklace and Bracelet" are definite must haves with and without the enhancer.
great tip Freida shared is the idea of 'framing' a pendant necklace with a long necklace or wrap. A great best seller is a piece she calls, "My Favorite Wrap Necklace". This is available in 36" or 60". Depending on how long you go - looks like this can be had.
Another great piece she mentioned was a choker that her teenage daughters often borrow from her. Fondly titled, "My Daughters keep stealing this bezel drop necklace" it is a piece that is made adjustable - 14" - 16"- to suit your needs. It is available in gold and silver and looks fabulous layered with other necklaces.
From there, Freida moved on to earrings and gave us an education on flattering silhouettes. (Yes, please!) "Oval shaped earrings look great on everyone," Freida shared. She showed us her Allover Pave Pointed Hoops and illustrated an important detail about her post earrings. She intentionally fastens the earrings with extra large backs to give the earrings an extra lift. Many of us have suffered years of wear on tear on our poor earrings holes so this ensures good positoning.
Other must haves include -
Reverse Clover Huggie Hoop 
Simple Bezel Teardrop Earrings - elegant and classic colored with the signature black.
Reverse iconic tear drops Station Hoops - available in medium and large.
Galactic Wide Hoop Earrings - Deb was wearing these during the show. They are from the 2020 Celestial Spring Collection. Dramatic and fun, the pops of turquoise and mother of pearl really pop against the black.
Nautical Button Stud Earrings - A long time best seller that often runs out of stock - so grab them when you can!
It's important to note, that while Freida's signature collection is made available throughout the year (barring any temporary sell outs) she does create seasonal collections in limited quantities. A case in point would be Freida Fan Pam who was donning her Midnight Embellished Hoops. They looked fabulous on her and she loves to wear them. A great reminder to snatch up those pieces that you have your eye on before they're no longer available.
From there, we moved on to bracelets: statement pieces, bangles, and how to effectively wear and layer them. She started with a bracelet she was wearing, a wide bangle with the word STRENGTH dusted in pave cubic zirconia. The bracelet was created as a component of her Women of Strength campaign - a beautiful tribute to her heritage.
All 4 of Freida's grandparents survived the Holocaust. Moved by their ability to overcome and create a beautiful life after such horrible atrocities, Freida finds strength in their courage and wants to empower others to do the same. The wearer of the bracelet can read the word Strength put also project it to others, as the word is written on both sides of the bracelet.
Proceeds from the sale of the Strength bracelet, available in both gold and silver, go to the Nachas Family Center in NYC, a nonprofit group devoted to caring for the elderly in NYC, particularly Holocaust survivors. In addition to the bracelet creation, Freida has taken the time to capture the stories of these courageous people. She chose to focus on the positive, and not the horrible atrocities themselves, but rather the lives they were able to create after the Holocaust and the enlightened principals by which they chose to live. Her philanthropic work is found in greater detail in this Associated Press article here that was picked up by over 300 national news outlets including the New York Times, and The Washington Post.
Statement bangles are strong in Freida's collection. Another must-have is her " Oh-So Gorgeous Wide Hinge Bangle" - long time Giving Tree Gallery best seller.
A great tip that we learned about Freida Bracelets, is to go with a hinged bracelet should size be of concern. Freida offers slide on bangles in addition to hinged bracelets. Be sure to look for these differences when shopping bracelets.
By design, everything looks great together. Bracelet stacks are no exception! In fact, they look AMAZING layered together. Freida suggests complementing weights and 'framing' the statement pieces with eternity styled bangles. Add chunky open links for texture and interest and pops of color like turquoise and coral during spring and summer months.
Throughout our time with Freida, she kept coming back to her Brooklyn roots - the symbol of hope against the backdrop of grit and determination. Not only does the black represent the grit and edge of NYC, but so does it provide an outline for natural enhancement. Black allows sharp contrast with other lighter colors, and affords things like faceted stones and luxurious golds and silver to pop. This is apparent throughout the collection, and especially in her stacking rings.
The very first set of stacking rings Freida designed is this Signature Classic Pave Beaded Stackable Set of 5.
In our stores in Sarasota and New Orleans, we love to watch customers try on Freida ring stacks and delight in how incredible they look on. As versatile as they are stunning, each ring stack can be worn broken up alone, or paired with other rings. A set highlighted in our trunk show was the Signature Mother of Pearl Stackable Set of 5. An all-time best selling stack is the Triple Marquise Bead Set of 5.
Wrapping up our time with Freida, the ladies had questions about how to clean Freida Rothman jewelry as well as the complimentary packaging. Caring for Freida jewelry is more about preventive measures and what NOT TO DO to avoid it looking dull and/or dirty. Following guidelines outlined in our post How to Clean Jewelry, such as, keeping water away and waiting for sunscreen and lotions to dry completely before putting on jewelry, will go a long way in keep your jewels sparkling. The complimentary leather pouches that are presented with every piece should be utilitzed when not wearing them. Protecting the piece from oxygen and other elements in the air, will aid in preserving it for years to come.
We were truly grateful for this opportunity to come together with Freida and her fans! We learned so much and now have a new profound perspective of the woman behind the incredible work.
Freida Rothman Jewelry Virtual Trunk Show | Givingtreegallery.com
