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My favorite season is finally here – autumn! Why autumn, you ask? Well, of course, it’s because the weather calls for cashmere, flannel and tweeds – my favorite clothes. After 20 years working as an executive for Hugo Boss and Valentino, I fell in love with the industry and more importantly the threads themselves.

To add to the excitement, I have recently started a collaboration with two beyond talented men from Montreal, Canada – Simon Bélanger and José Manuel St-Jacques. Their collection UNTTLD will be breaking in the US market very soon. I have enjoyed spending time with them both in their Atelier in Montreal (located in the Arsenal) as much as I did with them more recently in NYC. During NYFW, they hosted a group of handpicked fashion/retail veterans for a private viewing. Hoping you will all have a chance to experience their talents one day soon. And if you need to complete the look, you may want to check out the new Yvel Showroom on the Upper East Side (by appointment). Just let me know and I can take you personally…enjoy the fresh fall chill!

UNTTLD Q&A with Robert Souza

Why the name UNTTLD?
In contemporary art, there are often works names untitled, leaving more space for the viewer to see and interpret what they want in the work. We called our company UNTTLD with this idea in mind: rather than wearing someone else’s name and buying into their lifestyle, we want the UNTTLD woman to wear what we make rather than wear us, so that she can truly shine and our clothes are a way for her to express her truest self.

How did the two of you meet?
We met at a bar, it was an instant connection, maybe even perhaps because of the vichy shirt Simon was wearing. We were instantly in sync, we get what the other is thinking without needed to talk all that much to explain. And we’ve been dancing together ever since.

You are just launching your business outside of Canada, where do you dream for the company to be in 2 years?
The UNTTLD woman is strong and affirmative, sensual and romantic all at once. When we think about where the company is going, and where we want to be two years from now, we see more and more women, from the cocktail reception to the red carpet, from boardrooms to the halls of fashion publications and everywhere in between reaching for UNTTLD in their wardrobe and feeling a renewed sense of inspiration, the confidence to push the limits, to be bold and be their truest fabulous selves..

R EAD MORE

During a recent visit to the Far East, Orna and Isaac Levy, founders of Yvel, discovered a rare trove of pearls hidden away in an Indonesian pearl farm. This once-in-a-lifetime discovery led to the design of a stunning new collection, out of which came the winner of the 2017 Couture Awards - Best in Pearls.

Isaac Levy recalls, “While looking for pearls to adorn our next collection, I came across a very old pearl farmer sitting in the shade bent over his basket. As I approached, I saw that he was peering down sadly at his small collection of pearls. The man looked up and said, ‘No one wants to buy my pearls; they have shapes that no one can use.’ I looked into his basket and saw the most unusual collection of natural Keshi pearls that I had ever laid eyes on. Handling them, I began to imagine the exquisite pieces of jewelry that I could design around them. The old man listened as I tried to explain to him what I could do with this amazing discovery. When I finished talking he handed me his basket and said, ‘Take them. I have faith in your taste and intuition. Pay me whenever you make something with them.’”

From each one of these unique pearls, we fashioned a one-of-a-kind bracelet, enhanced with diamonds and set in 18k gold. Seeing the beauty and uniqueness of these pieces, I sent the elderly pearl farmer the amount that I thought he deserved in payment for his basket of pearls. A few days later I received a phone call, but I couldn’t hear anyone on the line. “Who is this?” I asked. Steeped in emotion I heard the broken voice of an old man, and through his tears, I managed to understand his name. It was the pearl farmer.

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Souza Relationship Marketing was created to help hidden gem entrepreneurs accelerate and scale their businesses through hand-picked relationships. Our network of over 30 years is deep, wide and meaningful with key decision makers of fashion/luxury, music & entertainment, travel & hospitality, media & tech businesses. We believe in the longer game.