Family Works: Lustre – Vintage, New and Bridal Jewelry for the Accessory Enthusiast

by Kerri Cooke

Last year, a new sign was erected at 3308 Ernest St., replacing Jewels by Mitchell. Promising a luxurious experience, the store rebranded to Lustre after a change in ownership. Olivia Trahan, who had run the store for nine years, took over the reins after doing a buy-out from her father-in-law.

3308 Ernest St. has a special claim to fame. It was one of the few houses that wasn’t torn down to make way for I-210. The building was originally the childhood home of Bobby LaBauve, who ran LaBauve’s Jewelers downtown near the Paramount Theatre. LaBauve returned to 3308 Ernest St. and operated his business from this location until he was bought out by Mitchell Trahan, Olivia’s father-in-law, in 1989. LaBauve’s Jewelers served the community for 23 year and Jewels by Mitchell continued a legacy for another 35 years.

Olivia attended LSU in pursuit of an interior design degree before transferring to McNeese and attaining a degree in finance. In 2016, Olivia was asked if she would be willing to assist Jewels by Mitchell during the Christmas season. She never left.

The team at Lustre is entirely female, even the jeweler, which is a rare occurrence. While Olivia’s husband, Rusty, is a co-owner of Lustre, he doesn’t work at the store unless the team is swamped and needs help with watches and repairs. He did, however, work at Jewels by Mitchell for 11 years while in high school and college.

When she began working for Jewels by Mitchell, Olivia says she still had a love for and interest in design. Once she gained experience “seeing all the gemstones, playing with colors, designing rings, it all clicked.”

Olivia continues some of the practices her father-in-law instituted such as changing watch batteries free for veterans, active military and first responders. He also taught her that a jewelry store “always needs to have something in the store for every budget.”

The team sells new and vintage jewelry and enjoys repurposing old pieces. “We like to take an antique stick pin nobody wears anymore and convert it into a necklace,” Olivia says. The Lustre style is described as avant-garde and eclectic. The team purchases jewelry from vendors and even the community. “Some pieces come in that are being worn away. We preserve as much as we possibly can because they don’t make things like they used to, and we want to preserve that history and craftmanship.”

Lustre is visited by many brides-to-be and their significant others. When men don’t know where to start when picking an engagement ring, staff encourages them to check a woman’s Pinterest board. In addition to giving an idea of the type of style a woman likes, Lustre can take design elements from multiple rings styles and turn them into a custom piece a bride will love for many years. Olivia says, “Brides come to Lustre when they don’t want that cookie cutter piece.”

Lustre also considers what clients want their ring to look like a decade from now. “We need to know what we’re building,” Olivia explains. Traditional wedding bands have two pieces, but today’s brides are asking for a bigger stack.

When it comes to choosing jewelry for a bride to wear on her wedding day, Lustre asks for a visual of the wedding dress and fields questions on what necklace chain lengths will be best with certain necklines, what earrings will look stunning with a specific hairstyle, and if the bride would prefer simple jewelry if wearing an embellished dress.

If brides need recommendations, pearls or diamond studs are a classic choice. For something blue, opt for a set of colored jewelry. And for something old, browse inventory for that perfect vintage or antique jewelry piece.

Staff does not work on commission, so, Olivia emphasizes, their whole focus is on customer service. Whether you’re a bride-to-be or simply looking for some unique jewelry from a locally-, woman- and family-owned business, stop by Lustre for a tailored experience.