Designer Spotlight: Jade Trau, a Modern ‘Diamantaire,’ Creates Wearable Luxury Jewelry

LA Digital
Since establishing her own luxury jewelry company more than five years ago, Jade has implemented her 20 years of diamond industry experience, paying homage to her family heritage as a modern diamantaire.

A fifth-generation jeweler, Jade’s designs are an exploration of authentic personal style through meticulously crafted, uniquely refined diamond jewelry. By reinterpreting vintage inspirations, Jade produces classic yet contemporary pieces of jewelry that tell a compelling story, connecting wearers across generations.

Storytelling, along with the personalized nature of jewelry are at the forefront of the Jade Trau brand. The most beautiful piece of jewelry is a piece that is worn, and creating luxury pieces that wear beautifully and comfortably is her objective. Just as Jade’s approach to design evolves organically around the diamond to enhance its inherent beauty, each piece of Jade Trau jewelry complements the individual wearing it.

Jade Trau jewelry is manufactured and hand-finished under one roof in New York City. Jade finds the beauty in the unseen and brings it out in her designs by using the highest quality materials and finest craftsmanship. Through her obsessive design process, she creates jewelry that becomes an extension of the wearer and empowers self-expression.

Find Jade Trau’s designs in Houston exclusively at Lesley Ann Jewels.
Fashion+Home
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

The patio at Heights & Co.

IT'S ALMOST TIME for summer vacations, but Heights & Co. is offering escapes on its newly redecorated patio in the form of wine and movie nights — no passport needed! Visit France, Italy, Greece, Spain, and more through wine pairings and tasting menus, all complemented by movies set in each location.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Ally Shell and Martijn van Koolwijk

BLAME IT ON the Moon! Mercury Chamber Orchestra’s 2025 gala at the Thompson hotel — themed “Moonlight Serenade and chaired by Ally Shell and Martijn Van Koolwijk — was a night of glamour and big band vibes, raising more than $350,000 for the company.

Keep Reading Show less
Art+Culture