The couture show, a prestigious global industry-only event for the most exceptional curation of designer fine jewelry and luxury timepieces, happens just once a year.
For nearly three decades, the show has been a must-attend moment for designers, brands and buyers. For the industry, the Couture Show is a highlight of the year, taking place over four days. For a select team, building the perfect experience is a year-round endeavor.
As previously reported by WWD, with any showcase of Couture’s magnitude and preeminence, it’s the key players that raise the bar year after year. Behind the scenes, teams work tirelessly to prepare programming that is both innovative and compelling — while making sure every collection is presented to the highest level.
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Erin O’Donnell, vice president of marketing; Genevra Rao, vice president of operations; and Elana Cutler, show manager of Couture, are just three of the leaders who make the show go off without a hitch. Ahead of the 2025 Couture Show in Las Vegas, Fairchild Studios sat down with these key executives to share insights about what goes on behind the scenes.
Setting the Stage
Erin O’Donnell: While I often say that my job is largely done before I get on the show site, that’s not exactly the case; we’re a very small team, so it’s “all hands on deck” when we’re together in Las Vegas. My first priority when I arrive before the majority of our exhibitors have made it to town is to walk the entire show and make sure all of our signage looks good. I oversee the team that is gathering content for social media and posting throughout the show, so if you see me scrolling on Instagram, I can assure you it’s for work-related purposes.
Thankfully, I have a great team that has a keen eye and I just occasionally have to weigh in with my “500-foot view.” Apart from those primary responsibilities and as part of a small, dedicated team, I jump in to help my colleagues with whatever needs to get done.
Genevra Rao: My days in Las Vegas start very early. I’m up and out of my room by about 6:30 am most mornings, in the show office responding to emails; it’s actually impressive how many emails build up.
Throughout the day, my phone truly never stops ringing and I’m always multitasking. While answering questions over the phone, I’ll be giving directions to our vendors, answering a colleague’s question, addressing an exhibitor’s concern and asking catering to attend to a bus tray. The idea is for our exhibitors and attendees to never see them, but there are always fires that need to be put out. My job is to do so quickly, efficiently and calmly.
Elana Cutler: By the time we make it to Couture, all of the salons, villas and ballrooms have been sold and sponsorship packages and partner collaborations have been solidified. Those few days in Las Vegas are my opportunity to meet in person with as many of my clients as possible. While we are in communication throughout the year, Couture is often the only time I get to see their collections in person. And for brands that are new to the show, it can be the first ever time I’ve been able to touch and try on the jewelry. Of course, I do my best to help out with anything that needs to get done!
Everyone Loves Jewelry
E.O.: [My favorite part is] seeing all of the jewelry. It’s such a privilege to see the new collections our designers are launching, to get to know debuting brands, to discover the next big thing or to see what one piece will be the talk of the show. Beyond that, some of my favorite people make these beautiful pieces. It’s so fun to see everyone and catch up, it’s such a love fest and it genuinely feels like summer camp! All the work that goes into bringing the show together can be pretty stressful, so to have all of these moments of joy and laughter when we’re in Las Vegas together is almost euphoric.
G.R.: After months and months of meticulous planning, it is rewarding when everything finally comes together. Of course, I’m too Type A to really enjoy it in the moment, but I do try to spend as much down/fun time with my colleagues as I can. At the end of each day, we take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief that we’ve successfully executed all of the tasks of the day before we look ahead to the next day and prepare ourselves for what still lies ahead.
I also love jewelry! Whenever I can take a moment, I like to go by the salons of some of the designers I know and love — and who I’ve been collecting from for years — to check out their latest collections. It’s always exciting to check out what’s new each year.
E.C.: [My favorite part is] the jewelry and the people — in no particular order. I am both a jewelry person and a people person, we have the best of both at Couture.
Insider’s View
G.R.: I wouldn’t say it goes unnoticed, but the staff at Wynn Las Vegas is truly best in class, as are our vendor partners. Their grace and hospitality set a tone for the entire event. We work with the same agency to hire directional models every year and we often get the same personnel year after year which is great. The continuity of having someone familiar with our event and on friendly terms with many of the people who attend or exhibit with us helps me to rest easy.
I know it’s not the most flair-worthy element of the event, but our security protocol is certainly one of, if not the, most important aspects of our show. We take every measure to establish and maintain a safe and secure environment. We work with our security team all year to consider every possible scenario and ensure we are doing everything we can to mitigate any threats and our security team works in tandem with Wynn security and the Las Vegas Police Department to make sure all of our plans are precisely executed.
E.O.: I think that the meticulous amount of time and attention we give to every single element of the show is noticed by attendees and that level of detailed care is what makes Couture so special. We really leave no leaf unturned in continually trying to improve, show after show. Before we get to Couture, we discuss every tiny thing. We are all genuinely invested in all aspects of the event.
E.C.: So much time, work, attention to detail and dedication goes into planning the event. I get asked all the time “you work on one show all year?” But sometimes I feel like one year isn’t enough time! While “selling exhibit space” is part of my job description, my approach is not simply transactional.
For many of our designers and brands, Couture is the only show they participate in all year, so it is critical to the overall success of their business. I feel the weight of this responsibility. Before I even think about pitching a space or an activation or a sponsorship opportunity, I need to be intimately familiar with their goals and ambitions and the current state of their business. I want to make sure any opportunity that I present will be mutually beneficial to their businesses and to our community.
The Superpower of Couture
E.C.: Working together to resolve issues and get things done in a timely manner [is our superpower]. This makes the experience for both exhibitors and attendees smooth and worry-free. Our exhibitors and retailers know they can count on us and know that their experience at the show will be a positive one. I’d like to believe they also know that we care and that we are invested in adding value to their businesses, both on-site and throughout the year.
E.O.: My immediate team shares a superpower with the team as a whole — we sincerely care about this event and this community. There is meaning and intention behind every decision we make and we make all of our decisions only after careful consideration. We’re also responsive to feedback; if something isn’t working, we are quick to acknowledge that and find a solution. We are all emotionally invested in producing a great event that will enhance the lives and businesses of everyone who walks through our doors.
G.R.: On show site, we need to be anticipatory and have a keen eye for every detail of our surroundings so that if something isn’t right, we realize it and fix it before it becomes an issue. I hope that our ability to be meticulous, precise and to stay several steps ahead, as exhaustive as it can be, means that everyone who walks through the doors of our event feels as if it’s effortless and that every touchpoint has been thoughtfully considered – because it has been.
2025 Highlights
G.R.: We’re excited to be introducing our COUTUREtalks in a new and interesting way. These “pop-up” style sessions will be held in the Convention Center Lounge and the lineup looks like a good mix of information and entertainment.
E.C.: In addition to all of the incredible jewelry and timepieces and connecting with old friends and colleagues, we are leaning into our COUTUREtalks. We’ve changed the location and have an incredible lineup of sessions, both fun and informative.
E.O.: I’m really excited about our COUTUREtalks this year. After a “soft re-launch” last year, we decided to be more intentional in how these thought leadership sessions are positioned. They’ll now be held in the Convention Center Lounge and we hope that the content we put together is appealing to a diverse audience.
For more info, visit www.theCOUTUREshow.com.