EXCLUSIVE: Reed Krakoff Introduces John Hardy Men’s Jewelry Category

Reed Krakoff is continuing his reinvention of John Hardy with the launch of the brand’s first official men’s jewelry.

Krakoff, who was appointed the creative chairman of John Hardy in 2022, is introducing his first full men’s jewelry collection Friday with roughly 75 styles across necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and other pieces. 

Since he took the job in 2022, Krakoff has experimented with men’s jewelry using the brand’s core collections as inspiration. By introducing an enhanced men’s line, Krakoff hopes to balance the brand’s assortment and cater to John Hardy’s growing male customer base. Right now, the brand is roughly 75 percent women’s styles and 25 percent men’s styles.

“It’s kind of ubiquitous now,” Krakoff said of men’s jewelry. “Men with all types of points of view on fashion and style really embrace the idea of, I say collecting, [rather] than buying, jewelry … It’s really more just another piece of their wardrobe like a sneaker, a watch, any of those things that that define a man’s style. All of that points to opportunity in men’s and in the early introductions we saw a lot of success and really encouraging traction in the men’s styles.” 

Krakoff’s first men’s jewelry collection leverages many of the popular motifs and styles of John Hardy’s core collection and gives the pieces a more masculine feel. This is seen through chunkier styles and the use of materials like sterling silver and gunmetal. The men’s collection offers new takes on popular John Hardy collections like Naga — Balinese for dragon — which Krakoff said “doubled in business” when it was first introduced “in terms of ranking and style.” 

“We’re taking the success we’re having with the first collections and expanding them into a more traditionally male assortment,” he said. “It allows us to tell a broader story — one bigger story than many small stories about all these 10 collections. The way people shop today, I just think it’s not so regimented anymore. It’s much more about creating product that people fall in love with. It’s up to them how they want to wear it.”

John Hardy’s men’s jewelry collection comes at a time when the category is experiencing a boom across the market, both at more affordable retail chains and at specialty retailers and high-end brands. Jewelers like Lagos and Mary MacGill have also introduced official men’s jewelry verticals into their brands, while fine jewelers like Louis Vuitton and David Yurman have expanded their men’s assortments with unique offerings.

Going forward, Krakoff has plans to continue growing the men’s jewelry category. The brand has plans to offer an even larger men’s collection for the fall season.