What's the one piece of jewelry you feel naked leaving the house without?
"My wedding ring is definitely a must. I have left once or twice without it, and it usually means the whole day I feel like something is off and out of balance. I'll almost always wear some statement piece in addition to my ring, so I guess, for me, jewelry is a little like makeup: Put it on in the morning, and take it off at night."
When it comes to jewelry, do you go by the more-is-more? Or, less-is-more?
"I think, today, more is more. Jewelry shouldn't just be an accessory or an afterthought — it should be an integral part of a look. We live in an age when we can switch out our jewelry as much as we want, and I think we should! For me, personally, I'll usually stack as much jewelry as I can and then take off one piece before I leave the house."
Tell us about your collection! What were some major dos and don'ts as far as designing a line that's representative of you?
"Sometimes, I think the fashion world can seem a little untouchable, so I wanted to create a collection that has a high-fashion editorial feel at a price most people can afford. When designing it, I did not want to play it safe at all. 'Cutesy' was not in my vocabulary. I was also not overly concerned with the trends and colors of the season — I just wanted to show my perspective on fun jewelry. In general, I try to go my own route, and if I like it and believe in it, I wear it!"
Do you have any special style tricks for wearing or layering jewelry?
"I'm a big fan of a statement necklace under a button-down shirt. I'm really into wearing complicated and extravagant jewelry with really simple, basic pieces like white T-shirts and ripped jeans. And, don't stop at just one piece — there are no rules anymore. People think you have to have a lot of confidence to layer jewelry. I think layering gives you confidence. It’s like armor — stack it, and go!"
If you could be any piece of jewelry, what kind would you be? And, what would it look like?
"I'd be the Crown of Queen Elizabeth, which has the 105-karat Koh-i-Noor diamond in it. I am a firm believer in the idea that you gotta go big or go home!"