Recently in Designer Profiles Category

Loren Ridinger, Creator of the uber-luxurious Loren Jewels, announced that she and close friend, Kim Kardashian, are partnering to design an exclusive line of earrings to be called the "Kim Kollection." This stunning 20-piece collection was inspired by Kim Kardashian's glamorous Hollywood lifestyle and will incorporate diamonds, emeralds, rubies and other precious gems and metals offering Hollywood glam exclusively through Lorenjewels.com.  I own a Loren Jewels pink pearl bracelet with diamonds and it is a show stopper!  Loren is one of the most inspiring women I know; as a mother, wife and wildly successful entrepreneur she is a shining example that a woman can have it ALL!  Check out Loren's latest endeavor, Loren's World here!

Loren Jewels, comprised of high-end earrings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets, is symbolic of a new tradition reflecting Ridinger's personal standard of style and elegance. Ridinger draws inspiration from the poise and allure of history's most celebrated fashion-forward eras, along with her own extensive world travels. 

Elsa Peretti is one of only four designers permitted to sign their names to the famed jewelry company's pieces. Known for her sensual, fluid designs, the bone cuff is among the most renowned, and this latest incarnation is my absolute favorite. It literally looks like liquid gunmetal gray, poured onto the wrist and sexy as hell. In ruthenium over copper, this classic piece can be yours for $400 at Tiffany.

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Frank Everett, Director of Tiffany & Co. in Beverly Hills, to preview their new holiday collection. Frank was such a wealth of information however about the history, designers and importance of Tiffany & Co. that I was inspired to run a week devoted exclusively to the renowned company.

One of the first pieces Frank showed me was a Jean Schlumberger Floral Bracelet, that was absolutely breathtaking, along with the rest of the collection including this Schlumberger Leaves Necklace for $385,000. Comprised of a stunning number of beautifully matched green tourmalines and platinum set diamonds in 18k gold, this piece is without question, a show stopper. Definitely red carpet material.

Schlumberger, whose career began designing buttons for Elsa Schiaparelli, was honored with a show at the Louvre museum in Paris. Not too shabby and, with pieces like these, clearly well-deserved. His fans included the likes of John F. Kennedy, the Duchess of Windsor, Greta Garbo, Gloria Guinness, Françoise de la Renta, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, Gloria Vanderbilt, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. It is said that Jacqueline Kennedy wore so many of Schlumberger's bracelets that the press dubbed them "Jackie bracelets".

While Schlumberger is no longer with us, his designs live on at Tiffany & Co.

My visit to the illustrious Beverly Hills boutique at Two Rodeo was quite enlightening. Tiffany & Co. is about far more than spectacular engagement rings and iconic sterling pieces. The collections feature some of the greatest designers in the world, including architect Frank Gehry.

Stay tuned for more Tiffany & Co. features all week!

Carol Brodie is no stranger to the finest of fine jewelry. As a luxury and style expert, she has personally held many of the world's most fabled gems, including the Hope Diamond, the Dresden Green and the Pumpkin Diamond. She has selected the jewels worn by countless A-list celebrities on the red carpet, while working side-by-side with famed designer Harry Winston. With her resume, it's no wonder that she has taken to design herself, though it is a wonder why it took her so long.

After 20 years of honing her eye for luxury, style and elegance, Brodie has created a signature collection of fine jewelry exclusively for HSN. Inspired by many of the memorable faces Brodie has worked with over the years, including Jennifer Lopez, Scarlett Johansson, Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Halle Berry, the Rarities Collection was created to serve as "accessible luxury" for those of us that aren't A-listers, with price points that won't break the bank, ranging from around $200 to $800.

The Bellaire Collection pictured here is just one facet of the Rarities launch, which will take place on June 21st on the Home Shopping Network. I am partial to the lilac quartz and diamond drop earrings in rose gold vermeil. Rose gold is fun because it's unexpected and the lilac quartz sets it off beautifully. The ring features white quartzite and diamonds, also set in rose gold vermeil.

I will look forward to seeing what Carol Brodie does next!

The romance and mystery of the past and the elegant restraint of the present distinguish the work of jewelry designer Temple St. Clair. Rooted in the mystery and the romance of the past, Temple’s pieces feature an elegant restraint, a clean modern line, and a sensitivity to color that are indisputably contemporary — yet utterly timeless. I had lunch with a girlfriend who was wearing a delicate gold chain with a gold pendant made of sparking sapphires. Without asking, I knew it was Temple St. Clair. Her signature style is unmistakable as is the workmanship of her jewels.

I was recently introduced to the spirit of Cindy Chao, a jewelry designer based in Taiwan. I love discovering new jewelry designers, especially those with an incredible eye for detail and design like Cindy- one of the most promising jewelry designers I have seen in a very long time! A friend of mine had several pieces made by Cindy and showed them to me during her last visit, the pieces were extraordinary and exquisite and like nothing I had ever seen. Inspired by her Eastern roots and by the forces of nature, Cindy's jewelry is astounding and fascinating. Owning one of her pieces is like capturing the essence of nature and owning the spirit of beauty. Each piece is carefully designed and meticulously handcrafted- a conch pearl rests delicately against the sensual curves of lily petals made of diamonds, a golden pearl mounted as the exotic center of a spray of diamonds, a diamond nestled in a cluster of pearls, each piece unique in its own way. I am waiting for my first Cindy Chao pieces, I was told the wait would be long, but as all things worth owning, it is worth the wait. Email her showroom for details and point of purchase.

More photos after the jump!

One of our editors featured Kelly Alexandra's jewels a while back but I did not get a first hand look until today at her showroom (and bought a few very fabulous pieces I will be wearing over Fashion week!) and I have to say "WOW". The fact that the pieces are fashion forward and beautiful and that the designer, Kelly Alexandra, is only 12 years old completely astounds me! I am amazed at her taste level, craftsmanship, and her appreciation of vintage stones and antique glass that she uses throughout her collection. Email Kelly's mom, Andrea, for pricing and availability.

I love buying jewelry for myself and have always encouraged girlfriends to do the same. I never understood women who felt the need to "wait" for a man to buy them beautiful jewels! Not that I don't appreciate my husband when he brings home prettily wrapped boxes from Cartier or Bvlgari (which he does, often!) but I just think women should buy jewelry for themselves if they are able to. I designed a line of jewelry sold at major department stores and you have no idea how often I sat at trunk shows listening to women say, "I really shouldn't buy this, I should wait for my husband/boyfriend/dad to buy it for me. I just feel too guilty to buy it for myself". Well now you can buy all the jewels you want without any guilt. Jewelry designer Joan Hornig brilliantly devised a model of giving 100% of the profits on each piece to the purchaser's charity of choice and challenges women to use beauty and fashion in a new way. This means you can buy to your heart's content because every penny of the profits will go to your favorite charity! Now that is worth splurging on. I love the cuffs above and the diamond earrings and no, I will not be waiting for my husband to buy it for me. Go to Joan's website to pick your favorite bauble and help your favorite charity at the same time.