The White Lotus was Just the Beginning for David Webb
There are certain jewels that feel distinctly American. Their outlines are a bit more audacious, their stones and colors joyfully bold, their motifs defy the traditional playbook. Walk into the David Webb store on Madison Avenue and you will instantly understand. That oversize zebra cuff is not kidding around, those emerald shoulder duster earrings are anything but shy, that Tree of Life breastplate is no one’s idea of a wilting flower. These jewels also happen to have a specific American spirit because they are made right upstairs, in the David Webb workshop run by artisans that have been with the company for generations.
And so while so much has remained the same at the company since it was founded in 1948 by its namesake, a self-taught designer born in Asheville, North Carolina, and since First lady Jackie Kennedy gave Webb paperweights as White House gifts, and Liz Taylor wore that Maltese Cross pin in The V.I.P.s, there is big news at Webb this morning: new ownership.
The lead investor is Middle West Partners; two of their three managing partners are members of the Hamp family, whose matriarch, Sheila Ford Hamp, owns the Detroit Lions. The Hamps are part of the Ford family (though this is a private Hamp family investment) and certainly bring a unique perspective on American luxury and craftsmanship. They are, by all accounts, passionate about the future and the potential of Webb. James Weiss will become CEO. The previous owner, Mark Emanuel, will stay on as a creative voice; Robert Sadian has left the business.
“David Webb is an iconic American luxury house whose distinct point of view on design and unparalleled commitment to craftsmanship has transcended generations of collectors,” Kevin Kelleher of Middle West Partners tells T&C. “We take great responsibility as stewards of the house; we look forward to supporting the house as we grow globally, while staying firmly rooted in its extraordinary design DNA and New York craftsmanship.”
The Webb name is a legendary one to jewelry collectors and recently became even more widely known when it was featured as a plot point in that White Lotus robbery scene. A piece was made exclusively for the show. Webb pieces have also recently appeared on Landman and The Traitors.
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