ALEX AND ANI

Alex and Ani is an American retailer and producer of jewelry located in Cranston, Rhode Island.
== History ==
The firm was founded in 2004 by Carolyn Rafaelian. The name comes from a combination of the first names of Rafaelian's two daughters.
 The company originally stated that they wanted to produce "bangle 
bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings that adorn the body, enlighten 
the mind, and empower the spirit". The company first manufactured its jewelry in a factory that was founded by Rafaelian's father in 1966 and all materials were made in America.
The first retail Alex and Ani store opened in Newport in 2009, and in addition to the stand-alone stores, the jewelry was sold through national departments stores. In 2011, American retail company The Paper Store LLC invested over $10 million to build "shop within a shop" areas featuring the jewelry brand Alex and Ani in many of their stores.[6]
In 2010 Giovanni Feroce
 joined the company as CEO and drove the company's expansion, increasing
 the sales total for the year by more than 20 times its previous annual 
total. In 2011, the company launched its Charity By Design program where 20% of sales go to charity. It also partnered with the Newport Folk Festival and Newport Jazz Festival to create specialty charms for each ticket buyer of each festival. In 2013 the company partnered with the New England Patriots and New England Revolution sports teams to provide sports-themed merchandise and uniforms. That year the company also published Path of Life: Why I Wear My Alex and Ani, a book co-authored by Feroce and Alex and Ani corporate historian Cyd McKenna.
The company’s revenue grew from $5 million in 2010 to over $500 million in 2016. In 2012, the company acquired a majority stake in the advertising agency Mediapeel after becoming the firm's largest client, changing the company name to Seven Swords Media. Still in 2012, the firm opened its first European branded stores. That year, JH Partners acquired a large stake in the firm, adding it to its lifestyle portfolio. JH Partners cashed out in 2014, flipping the stake to Lion Capital, in a deal that valued the company at $1 billion.
In 2015, Harlan Kent became the new president of the company. The company also expanded into Japan. The company began a partnership with Disney Park, to provide jewelry for their souvenir stores.
In 2016, founder Carolyn Rafaelian purchased original copper from the Statue of Liberty and the company launched the Liberty Copper Collection. In 2017, Alex and Ani became the primary "presenting sponsor" of David Lynch's arts and music festival, the Festival of Disruption.
At midnight on 14 January 2018, the company's Australian website 
was shut down, with a single-page message left behind claiming that as 
the company "strategically re-aligns its global distribution footprint, 
we have ceased our distribution efforts in the Australian and New 
Zealand markets".
== Activities ==
The firm produces bangles, bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and rings. The company first came to national attention in 2004 when they produced a necklace featuring an apple for Gwyneth Paltrow following the birth of her daughter Apple, leading to many orders of similar merchandise.
The firm has begun collaborating with national organizations to 
create custom pieces and give a portion of proceeds to the respective 
charity.
A signature design feature of the company's products is the 
"patented sliding mechanism that replaces the traditional clasp, making 
each bracelet entirely adjustable" making it "one-size-fits-all". Rafaelian patented the Alex and Ani 14-gauge wire bangle in 2004; one of about 30 patents the company now holds.
Category:Jewelry stores
Category:Luxury brands
Category:Retailers
Category:Mall stores
Category:Companies
Category:Franchises
Category:Brands