Building on American consumer spending trends that existed pre-pandemic, Americans in all age groups are spending dollars supporting brands that share similar ethical values with them. This is particularly true of younger generations as Newsweek reports that, in 2021, 85% of Generation Z stated that a brand’s social impact is an important factor when making a purchasing decision. A McKinsey study shows, since the pandemic, millennials are continuing to double down on e-commerce, while older buyers still favor brick-and-mortar stores. The same study shows a 19% increase in online jewelry purchases across all demographics. Now, as the American economy is currently going through a period of inflation, the American consumer is even more focused on finding quality products and services with fair pricing. Finally, as the American public continues its necessary conversation around making a more equitable social environment for different genders, races, and religions in all aspects of American life, there is ample opportunity for American consumers to find new brands that embody this mission. APM Monaco has been able to grow its fashion jewelry brand, already thriving in Asian and European markets, to the American market due to its emphasis on stylish unisex jewelry fit for all occasions. Appealing to a wide variety of demographics and psychographics, the brand has cultivated consumer loyalty due to its diverse product roster as well as its ability to garner authentic cultural moments on social media and beyond. APM Monaco entered the retail market in North America 5 years ago (2017). Due to its strong international presence, APM Monaco immediately resonated with North American consumers who were familiar with the brand. Now, APM is connecting with the broader consumer base in the region, with a repeat customer rate of 40-50% in the US and Canada. Opening brick-and-mortar stores in major American and Canadian cities, APM Monaco’s presence is growing rapidly in the Western Hemisphere.
APM Monaco’s signature emphasis on stylish fashion jewelry has been disrupting traditional jewelry consumption habits since its inception. As a leader in fashion jewelry, APM Monaco is known for creating designer-quality jewelry at an affordable price point with unparalleled design variety. Every month in the retail brand’s 10-year life, APM Monaco has released a new 40 to 50-piece collection with thematic pieces fit for either the beach, dinner, the red carpet, and more. In addition to democratizing access to creative and stylish jewelry meant for all aspects of everyday life, not just formal events, APM Monaco has also been a pioneer in the jewelry manufacturing industry. APM Monaco was actually founded in the 1980s to provide manufacturing resources to the traditional luxury jewelry brands in France and Europe. Now, APM uses its manufacturing expertise and resources to produce its retail brand’s high-quality jewelry. Instead of using gold, diamond, and other precious stones, APM Monaco uses their industry-leading manufacturing infrastructure with more accessible components like silver and zirconia stones. With a vertically integrated manufacturing process and sustainable materials, APM Monaco can produce an unrivaled amount of creative and stylish designer-quality jewelry that does not break the bank.
These APM Monaco brand hallmarks are resonating with various segments of the American consumer population for different reasons. As Gen Z and Millennials continue to grow their disposable income and look to infuse more money into the economy, they are supporting brands that represent their values. With their commitment to new and creative jewelry lines, APM Monaco has become an inadvertent pioneer and advocate for the androgyny of jewelry. With a greater variety of styles accessible at a more affordable price point, more and more men are finding APM Monaco pieces that speak to their fashion sense. As a more open understanding of gender norms and identity takes hold in the United States, APM Monaco’s unisex jewelry is opening up the jewelry market for new buyers. Throughout its stores, men are letting their guard down and becoming playful with the various pieces APM has to offer from pearls to earrings to the brand’s 40th Anniversary Yummy Bears. Following the increasing male customer base wearing jewelry as an unapologetic fashion accessory, APM Monaco is committed to breathing more life into this unisex jewelry moment. This trend is further empowering APM Monaco designers to be bold in their assortment.
In addition to the Gen Z and Millenial buyers flocking to APM Monaco for its commitment to the sustainable nature of jewelry, unisex options, and the creative process, APM Monaco is resonating with buyers at each stage in their consumer journey. Older buyers who own designer jewelry and younger more aspirational buyers are both connecting with any number of APM’s stylish options, fair price point, as well as brick and mortar stores. While APM has a thriving e-commerce component to its business, APM’s brick-and-mortar stores further facilitate the brand’s ability to connect with different buyer segments. This is particularly true as APM Monaco grows its brand in the United States. More traditional and conservative buyers are resonating with APM’s stores as the brand emphasizes the same attention to detail they’re known for with their jewelry at their retail locations – producing an elegant and welcoming ambiance. Without any price point hesitation, traditional buyers can feel confident in APM Monaco’s commitment to quality and selection of understated options, while more spontaneous and playful buyers can try on the brand’s industry-leading variety. APM Monaco is currently active in the New York, California, and Florida markets with stores in major cities across other states as well. The brand is also planning to further expand its retail footprint across the US to include Texas as a key market. Beyond the brand’s ability to connect with American consumers due to its quality, creativity, brand values, and physical stores, APM Monaco has a unique ability to drive meaningful cultural moments by way of fashion jewelry. The APM Monaco team is keenly aware that forced and inauthentic social media moments can damage a brand’s image. To this point, APM Monaco brilliantly walks the line between collaborating with jewelry-focused influencers – receiving co-signs from trusted voices in the space – and collaborating with other types of influencers – illustrating how fashion jewelry intersects with other interests and the average person’s life. As jewelry, in general, is becoming more of a unisex fashion choice, more influencers outside of the world of jewelry are excited about fashion jewelry. Influencers in skateboarding, dancing, mental health, music, comedy, beauty, and more are incorporating pieces in their content as well as in their everyday lives. For example, APM Monaco jewelry is featured subtly yet prominently in various makeup tutorials from famous influencer Nikki Tutorials who has worn a full ear of APM Monaco earrings while teaching her viewers how to apply the latest makeup trends. Kika Prette, the Chief Creative Officer, is extremely tapped into the power of social media as well as its cultural nuances and is therefore committed to facilitating authentic partnerships with influencers and popular events for larger-scale social media campaigns.
Recently, APM Monaco partnered with the French Youtuber and influencer Lena Mahfouf (aka Lena Situations) for another rendition of the popular “Lena Around The World” project with a weekend in Mykonos. As many are vacationing in the gorgeous Mediterranean summer oasis, Lena traveled to Mykonos with her boyfriend where they visited the APM Monaco store, had an apéro at a local gem, went to Delos by boat, and stayed at a gorgeous villa. As Lena was accompanied by her boyfriend who modeled the pieces almost as much as her, the trip was a great representation of how APM Monaco is opening up the conversation about gender androgyny and unisex pieces in jewelry. APM Monaco has worked with Lena many times, having recently worked with the influencer, and Thylane Blondeau, during the APM Monaco Grand Prix.
Outside of Europe, APM Monaco connected with American consumers during the country’s most popular music festival, Coachella. As Coachella already garners a culture of vibrant fashion choices and playful accessories, the festival is the perfect setting for the fashion jewelry innovator to make a name for itself in America. Last year, APM Monaco’s Festival and Meteorites collections were on full display by festival goers. From colorful statement pieces to stackable components to classic designs, APM Monaco has jewelry for every festival style.
Interestingly enough, APM Monaco has emerged as a favorite of many costume and set designers in film and television as well. Recently, APM Monaco jewelry was organically and prominently displayed in the second season of Netflix’s Emily in Paris. As the jewelry was featured in multiple episodes, worn by main characters, APM Monaco’s brand relevance and awareness skyrocketed. Further contributing to the moment, many of the Emily in Paris actors continued to wear the jewelry as a part of the press junket promoting the season. Since the show is an internet favorite, many viral clips originating from the second season and press tour included APM Monaco jewelry.
Of course, APM Monaco has big plans for all of the major Fashion Weeks from New York to Paris to Milan to London. With the overall brand mission to increase its customer base in the United States, we expect any APM Monaco event during New York’s Fashion week to be a ‘must-see.’ While no official plans are confirmed as of yet, APM Monaco will continue its Fashion Week tradition of honoring the stylists who make the grandeur of the week possible. The APM Monaco team understands the importance of stylists to the industry and plans to illustrate this appreciation with a large dinner event. Developing a deep connection with the brand, we expect to see top industry stylists placing APM Monaco jewelry on more American celebrities in the near future. To learn more about the brand’s industry-leading variety and American stores, please visit APM Monaco’s website.