To unveil an anniversary collection marking 15 years in design, jeweller John de Jong of JdJ Jewellery collaborated with Canadian fashion designer David Dixon for an informal runway presentation at the Gardiner Museum on Tuesday. "I've created a collection of jewels inspired by the work I've done over the past 15 years. It's a retrospective. I've seen quite an evolution," de Jong said. "Tonight, we're going to have a reveal."
Candice Best of Best PR Boutique planned the cocktail reception, which drew about 250 guests, primarily long-time JdJ clients. "There are some new guests being introduced too. It's a milestone occasion so it's ideal to bring out a new crowd," Best said. "It's an opportunity to meet the man behind the designs."
In addition to previewing the JdJ's anniversary collection, attendees had the chance to view David Dixon's never-before seen spring/summer 2011 collection during an informal presentation. Twelve models circled the room wearing Dixon's gowns and jewels from de Jong's anniversary line.
The collaboration marked the third partnership between the designers. In March, models wore JdJ designs in Dixon's runway show at LG Fashion Week and Dixon provided several of his pieces for a jewelry presentation at the third annual Breathe Easy fund-raiser—an event founded by de Jong—in May.
To showcase de Jong's work, Best placed nine display cases containing a selection of JdJ pieces around the room. "The windows will get a little fuller," she said. Following the fashion presentation, de Jong took the jewels off of each model and placed them alongside the other items in the cases.
Best dressed the space with florals from Madison Eight—including a manzanita tree set in the centre of the room—and furnishings from Contemporary Furniture Rentals like tree stump stools and Cindy table lamps from Kartell. "We wanted to have an element of sophistication but with a masculine edge," she said. "A lot of the clients are men, who often buy for the women in their lives."