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EXHIBIT 10.14                                                            PAGE 43


                                PUBLIC RELATIONS
                                AGENCY AGREEMENT


This Agency Agreement, dated the 1st day of July 1, 1998, is by and between
Regina Public Relations, Inc., (the "Agent" hereinafter referred to as "RPR").
located at 545 Madison Avenue, Suite 800, New York NY 10022, and Alfin, Inc.,
whose company name will officially change to Adrien Arpel, Inc. on August 4,
1998, (the "client" hereinafter referred to as Adrien Arpel"), currently located
at 720 Fifth Avenue, 8th Fl,.

The following constitutes the mutual agreement of the parties with respect to
the retention of RPR as Public Relations Agency of record (handling all national
product and corporate publicity for Adrien Arpel, Inc.)

A.       SERVICES:

          As public relations counsel. RPR will use its best efforts to:

                           - Generate maximum publicity regarding the following
                  corporate priorities: General PR representation announcement
                  to national media outlets: Sears announcement press collateral
                  and press distribution; company name change press collateral
                  and press distribution: development and distribution of QVC
                  announcement and National Spokesperson press kit; development
                  and distribution of "classic" product mailing and press
                  collateral (focus on product heritage etc.); PR presentations
                  to company executives on a designated basis: and daily
                  servicing of editor requests and media follow-up (emphasis on
                  Business, Beauty and Trade press).

                           - RPR will create and streamline Adrien Arpel press
                  collateral; create and distribute targeted press mailings that
                  will be supported by daily phone contact with the media, daily
                  servicing of edit or product requests, and scheduling of
                  one-on-one-one editor presentations/meetings. As appropriate,
                  RPR also will develop and organize special events.

         RPR and the "Client" acknowledge that there will be additional public
         relations projects that will call for project fees in excess of the
         current three month project fee. All projects and fee scales will be
         agreed upon between both parties prior to billing.

B.       RPR WILL PERFORM THESE SERVICES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING TERMS:

1) INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS:

         RPR shall provide these services AS an independent contractor, not as
         the "Client's employee."

2) AGENCY FEE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULE:

         RPR will bill its services to Adrien Arpel on a three month project
         basis beginning June 1, 1998 through August 31, 1998 at the project fee
         of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000) payable upon the execution of this
         agreement and receipt of invoice.

3) OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES AND PRODUCTION COSTS:

         Adrien Arpel will reimburse RPR for out-of-pocket expenses including
         production fees incurred in connection with the performance of the
         services. The expense fee of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500)
         payable to RPR is due upon the execution of this Agreement (June 1,
         1998). All Production fees are subject to Adrien Arpel's written
         approval.
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                                                                         PAGE 44

4) CONFIDENTIALITY

         (a) RPR acknowledges and agrees that RPR will have access to, or become
         acquainted with, confidential information of Adrien Arpel. For the
         purposes of this agreement, confidential information shall mean any
         information of Adrien Arpel, whether or not developed by RPR. including
         but not limited to information which relates to all ideas, designs,
         methods, discoveries, improvements, products, documents or other
         results of the professional services, trade secrets, product data and
         specifications, proprietary rights, business affairs, product
         developments, customer information or employee information.
         Confidential information does not include any information that:

                  i.)      was known to RPR prior to the date of this agreement
                           and any other agreement between the parties hereto,
                           without obligation to keep it confidential;

                  ii.)     was lawfully obtained by RPR from a third party
                           without any obligation of confidentiality; or

                  iii.)    is or becomes part of the public domain through no
                           act or violation of any obligation of RPR.

         (b) RPR acknowledges and agrees that the confidential information
         constitutes valuable trade secrets of Adrien Arpel. RPR shall keep all
         confidential information in confidence and shall not, at any time
         during or after the term of this agreement, without Adrien Arpel's
         prior written consent, disclose or otherwise make available, directly
         or indirectly, any item of confidential information to anyone other
         than RPR employees who need to know the same in performance of their
         professional services. RPR shall use confidential information only in
         connection with the performance of professional services hereunder and
         for no other

5) INDEMNIFICATION CLAUSE:

         (a)      Adrien Arpel will indemnify and hold RPR harmless with respect
                  to any claims or actions instituted by any third party which
                  result from the use by RPR of information or material
                  furnished to RPR by Adrien Arpel, or where information or
                  material created by RPR is substantially changed by Adrien
                  Arpel. Information or data obtained by RPR from Adrien Arpel
                  substantiate claims or statements released by RPR on Adrien
                  Arpel's behalf shall be deemed to be "information or materials
                  furnished to RPR by Adrien Arpel." However, under no
                  circumstances shall Adrien Arpel indemnify FPR where RPR was
                  negligent or engaged in willful misconduct.

         (b)      In the event of any proceeding against Adrien Arpel by any
                  regulatory agency, or in the event of any court action or self
                  regulatory action questioning any materials prepared by RPR on
                  behalf of Adrien Arpel, at Adrien Arpel's request, RPR shall
                  assist in the preparation of the defense of such action or
                  proceeding and cooperate with Adrien Arpel and its attorneys.
                  Adrien Arpel will pay RPR an hourly rate, the rate of which
                  shall be agreed upon at a later date, for time expended by it
                  on such assistance and Adrien Arpel will reimburse RPR any
                  out-of-pocket costs RPR incurs in connection with any such
                  action or proceeding.

6) EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERMINATION:

         This agreement shall be effective as of June 1, 1998, and shall
         continue through August 31, 1998. Either party has the right to
         terminate this agreement by giving sixty (60) days advance notice in
         writing. This agreement will be reviewed for renewal on September 1,
         1998 for an additional one (1) year term (through
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                                                                         PAGE 45


         September 1, 1999. RPR will bill at the rate of six thousand five
         hundred dollars ($6,500) per month beginning September 1, 1998.

7) GOVERNING LAWS:

         This agreement shall be governed and interpreted in accordance with the
         laws of the State of New York

8) ARBITRATION:

         Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement,
         or the parties' decision to enter into this Agreement, or the breach
         thereof shall be settled by arbitration by a single arbitrator in
         accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
         Arbitration Association., and judgment upon the award rendered by the
         arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The
         arbitration shall be held in New York and, as provided in paragraph 7,
         shall apply the substantive law of New York, except that the
         interpretation and enforcement of this arbitration provision shall be
         governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. The arbitrator shall not award
         either party punitive damages and the interpretation and enforcement of
         this arbitration provision shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration
         Act. The arbitrator shall not award either party punitive damages and
         the parties shall be deemed to have waived any right to such damages.
         Further, the arbitrator shall be bound by the express terms of this
         Agreement.

9) OWNERSHIP

         All slogans and publicity materials submitted or developed by RPR for
         Adrien Arpel during the term of this Agreement, and which Adrien Arpel
         uses at least once prior to the termination hereof, or which Adrien
         Arpel indicates in writing to RPR during the term hereof as being
         specifically within the designated plans for adoption and exploitation
         by Adrien Arpel, shall be, as between RPR and Adrien Arpel, Adrien
         Arpel's property exclusively. All slogans, ideas or plans submitted,
         created or developed by RPR for Adrien Arpel during the term of this
         Agreement, and not used by Adrien Arpel during the term hereof, or
         designated by Adrien Arpel in writing as being specifically within
         designated plans for exploitation and adoption of Adrien Arpel
         thereafter are RPR's property, and shall be dealt with by Adrien Arpel
         as such.


ACCEPTED AND AGREED

REGINA PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC.

By: /s/                          Date:  8/4/98
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    Regina C. Kulik
    President


ADRIEN ARPEL, INC.

By: /s/                          Date:  8/4/98
    ---------------------------        --------
    Mary Panvini
    Senior Vice President - General Manager