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Barry Kieselstein Cord is that rare bird
in the world of fashion who speaks his mind, bucks trends and decrees of
direction, and yet has remained a potent force in the world of design
for more than thirty years.
Cord is a designer and
artist. But he is also an entrepreneur. He sees the world through the
eyes of the poet. But he also thinks like a businessman. He knows the
power of a beautiful object. But he also knows that it has no power at
all unless it succeeds in the marketplace—and ends up in the hands of
someone who appreciates it.
His unusual combination of artistic
obsession and commercial prowess have made him one of the world's most
successful and respected designers—a two-time winner of fashion’s
version of the Oscar, the Council of Fashion Designers of America Award,
and a favorite of a mind-boggling array of tastemakers and celebrities,
from Tom Hanks to Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey to Lennox Lewis, Steven
Spielberg to T.I., Jay-Z to Vladimir Putin, Eric Clapton to Brooke
Shields, Madonna to Janet Jackson, Sir Elton John to Sharon Stone, Bruce
Springsteen to Usher, Lenny Kravitz to Whoopi Goldberg, Diane von
Furstenberg to Obama.
Created as art objects, with
a sense of style ungoverned by the whims of fashion, his bold,
sculptural, simultaneously sophisticated and primitive, and often
whimsical pieces are coveted because they are much more than jewelry and
accessories; they are art, they have been accepted into the permanent
collections of the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston as examples of the
finest applied arts, but more important, they are valued by individual
collectors of great taste, who collect them and display every day in the
world’s greatest gallery in the world—its streets. "I don't make
jewelry,” he’s said. “I do sculptures for the body.”
“My life as an artist started when I was about
eight,” Cord has said. “My primary interest at that moment was directed
toward North American Indian art. This was my first influence between
the ages of 8 and 14. I produced large-scale carvings and effigies and
interpretations. Between 14 and 22 my focus switched to painting and
metalwork. At 14 I started to bury
objects and metal in the ground to observe color and
patina changes. From the
earliest moments I can recall
fascination with all past cultures
and an intense attraction to art and architecture, not surprising, as in
their youth my mother had been an illustrator and father an architect. I
still hold these fascinations and occasionally some recall slips into my
work. I have rarely ever looked at the ornamentation of other artists;
my primary influences come from entire cultures and periods.”
Educated at the Parson School of Design,
New York University and the American Craft Institute, Cord first entered
the creative business as an advertising art director and producer.
Before leaving the industry, he was awarded the advertising world’s top
creative awards. What he learned then still informs all of his own
advertising, store designs and promotions. His own photographs are
often featured in them all.
Cord started his business in
1972 and Georg Jensen introduced his jewelry to the world the following
year. Their unique combination of innovative finishes, bold themes and
fine craftsmanship made the world take notice. In 1976, he introduced
the first of his iconic belt buckles, and fashion folk flocked to his
door. In 1979, he won the first of two Coty Awards, then fashion’s
ultimate accolade. But more important to him was seeing his designs
worn by the sexiest, most stylish men and women in the world. By the 1980s, Cord was established as one of America's most sought-after creators of distinctive jewelry and accessories, and his company, Kieselstein-Cord, based in midtown Manhattan, began to grow until it also included handbags, luggage, home furnishings, eyewear and other fine accessories. In 1985, he opened an in-store boutique at Bergdorf Goodman. Recently he has opened his own Kieselstein-Cord stores in Munich, Jakarta, Moscow, Gstaad, St. Moritz, Zurich, Kiev, Odessa and Singapore and Hong Kong (in spring 2010) and Tokyo (in 2011). He was also a pioneer in protecting his work—standing up when it was copied, or in fashion parlance, “knocked off” by counterfeiters. After a two-year battle and at great personal expense, he was responsible for establishing laws that today protects designers around the world.
Today, over 5,000 designs
later, Barry Kieselstein-Cord
remains an astonishingly successful designer and imaginative
entrepreneur, who has built one of America's largest designer-owned
branded luxury companies, yet remains true to his personal vision, even
as he directs his employees, oversees 12 K-C stores around the world and
generates millions in annual revenue. His pieces, every one of which is
signed, dated, and copyrighted, are widely sought and become instant
classics, bringing high prices at auctions, making them a wise
investment as well as cherished indulgence.
His latest innovations include creating an
iconic timepiece collection. He has chosen the Kieselstein-Cord
alligator bracelet to incorporate the Swiss timing mechanism; production
will be in green gold, platinum or Artsteel™.
This instant classic will debut in Fall 2009.
Though Cord’s friends say he works 25 hour
days eight days a week, he also finds time to cut fields on his farm in
NY’s Hudson Valley, repair fences and fix ancient tractors and
boardwalks through the first-class marshes that surround his property.
His farm is abundant with rare flora and fauna. Cord draws unending inspiration from these bucolic surroundings; he transposes and crates themes based on his green visions from the countryside. His design collections are a cornucopia of animal inspired artworks. Cord considers the most valuable and inspiring assets his family. His daughter Elisabeth, son John, and wife Karen are his never ending muses. |
KIESELSTEIN-CORD PRESS
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BARRY KIESELSTEIN-CORD AWARDS
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Kieselstein-Cord Awards: |
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Sylvester Foundation Humanitarian Award Silver Slipper Award, Houston Museum of Fine Arts COTY American Fashion Critics Award CFDA Award Illustrators Society Award, New York Hollywood Radio & Television Society Award Art Directors Club Awards, New York |
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Kieselstein-Cord in the permanent Collections: |
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The Louvre, Paris, France Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York Louisiana State Museum of Art, Baton Rouge, Louisiana The Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas |
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Reference Books featuring Kieselstein-Cord: |
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The Day the Factory Died, by Christophe Von Hohenberg Confessions of A Window Dresser, by Simon Doonan The Charm of Charms, by Jade Albert and Ki Hackney, Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Vanity: The Art of Looking Good, by Linda Abrams, Red Rock Press Handbags: The Power of the Purse, by Anna Johnson, Workman Publishing Handbags, A Lexicon of Style, by Valerie Steel & Laird Borelli, Scriptum Editions Cadogan Publications What Should I Wear? Dressing for Occassions, by Kim Gross & Jeff Stone. Alfred A. Knopf Chic Simple - Belts, by Christa Worthington. Alfred A. Knopf Contemporary Fashion, by Richard Martin. St. James Press The Art of Accessories, by Dorothy Torem. Schiffer Publications The Sporting Life, by Larry & Carol Sheehan. Clarkson N. Potter A Social History of the American Alligator, by Vaughn L. Glasgow. St. Martin’s Press Letter From New York, by Yusuke Suga. Kobunsha Bunko Perry Ellis – A Biography, by Jonathan Moore. St. Martin’s Press Who’s Who in Fashion, by Anne Stegemeyer. Fairchild Publications The Cowboy Catalog, by Sandra Kauffman Potter |
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Kieselstein-Cord Exhibitions: |
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A Different View. Fine art photography by Barry Kieselstein-Cord. Bonni Benrubi Gallery, New York City, New York |
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Television programs featuring Kieselstein-Cord: |
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The Girls' Guide to Hunting & Fishing. Warner Independent Pictures, with Alec Baldwin, Sarah Michelle Gellar The Nanny Diaries. Miramax Films, with Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney The Devil Wears Prada, 20th Century Fox; Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway Welcome to Mooseport, Gene Hackman, Marcia Gay Harden, Christine Baranski. 20th Century Fox. Gold jewelry, Silver jewelry, and belts. Three to Tango, Neve Campbell. Warner Brothers Pictures. Gold jewelry, Sterling Silver Sport jewelry, handbags and belts. A Civil Action, With John Travolta. Touchstone Pictures. Gold Jewelry. Curdled, With William Baldwin. Tinderbox Films. Gold Jewelry, Bags & Belts. Dolores Claiborne, Gold jewelry worn exclusively by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Mother's Boys, Jamie Lee Curtis & Tony Goldwin. Miramax (CBS Entertainment). Basic Instinct, Gold Jewelry & Belts worn exclusively by Sharon Stone. |
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Barry Kieselstein-Cord’s works have been featured in the following publications among others: |
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25ans (Japan) Architectural Digest Aspen Aspen Country Aspen Magazine Avenue Beverly Hills 213 Beverly Hills News Boca Raton Bolero Brutus Casa Channel Cigar Aficionado Cosmopolitan Daily News Dallas Morning News Departures Detour Elle |
Elle Décor Equidaie Figaro Forbes Fortune Good Housekeeping Gotham GQ Hamptons Hamptons Country Harper's Bazaar InStyle InSync International Herald Tribune Interview Japan Avenue La Mia Casa Lear's Léonce |
Lustre Maire Claire Manhattan File Manner Vogue Messemagazin (Dusseldorf) Mirabelle Miss (Japan) Modern Jeweler Neue Zürcher Zeitung New Jersey Life New York New York Post Ocean Drive Palm Beach Illustrated Palm Beach Society People Point of View Quest Schmuck Magazin |
Stern The Globe and Mail The London Times The New York Times The New Yorker The Robb Report The Star-Ledger Town & Country Tycoon Ultra Vanity Fair Vogue Vogue (Deutsch) Vogue (Italia) Vogue (Paris) W Wallpaper Woman's Wear Daily Worth Avenue |
MUSEUM ACQUISITIONS
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The Louvre, Paris, France |
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Alligator Trophy Handbag Charlotte Handbag Alligator Buckle on black lizard strap Winged Victory Buckle on black calfskin strap Serpent Buckle on honey lizard strap Winchester Buckle on black lizard strap Classic Horse Buckle on black livery strap Women of the World Muse Ring Alligator Bracelet |
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Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York |
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Women of the World Elisabetta Cross Pendant on Pyrite Beads Women of the World Cuff Bracelet Alligator Buckle on black alligator strap Serpent Buckle on black lizard strap Squirrel Buckle on brown lizard strap Classic Horse Buckle on black calfskin strap Alligator Trophy Handbag Charlotte Handbag |
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Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Houston, Texas |
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Alligator Bracelet Women of the World Muse Ring Alligator Trophy Handbag Alligator Buckle on black lizard strap Winged Victory Buckle on black calfskin strap Serpent Buckle on honey lizard strap Winchester Buckle on black lizard strap Classic Horse Buckle on black calfskin strap |
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Louisiana State Museum,, New Orleans, Louisiana |
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Round Alligator Earrings Long Alligator Earrings Alligator Bracelet Alligator Bracelet Alligator Buckle on black alligator strap Alligator Buckle on khaki alligator strap Alligator Trophy Handbag |
| National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, Dallas, Texas |
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Cowgirl Buckle Cowgirl Buckle Cowgirl Earrings Cowgirl Cufflinks Cowgirl Bolo |
BARRY CORD'S ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT MAY BE VIEWED AT:
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For pricing and availability in both national and international sales or for customer service please call: 1.800.886.0607
For Kieselstein-Cord distribution in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, please contact:
Matthias Schwarte at email; office@agentur-schwarte.de; +49 (8051) 96650;
or Thomas Kirkwood at email; TK@thomas-a-kirkwood.com; +49 (172) 6100 353
ALL DESIGNS & GRAPHICS © KIESELSTEIN-CORD 2004 - 2009
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
