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ladyjjewelry.com

Indie designers and artists are well aware that much of their work is a labor of love. However, there are more than a few designers who are beating the odds and finding growing success in the public eye. One such emerging designer is Jessica D’Amico who calls New York home. She is a veteran indie designer. Last fall we had the pleasure of visiting Jessica and her husband/partner, Paul Berliner, in her Gramercy studio.

A Pratt graduate, Jessica started her design business in a space in the back of a now defunct Brooklyn indie boutique. Along the way, a romance yielded both a husband and a business partner. As Paul got involved in Lady J Jewelry Designs, he began to manage the financial aspects of the business, facilitate marketing, and to help with future business plans. The partners are exploring the international jewelry market, which continues to show strong potential for growth. They have also successfully carved a niche in the booming accessories market and Paul is continuing to scout out new business in that market. Another result of business planning was the decision to exhibit at Women’s Wear Daily MAGIC. This was a carefully considered decision because the show will mark a new phase of increased business for Lady J Jewelry Designs. Deciding to be an exhibitor at MAGIC, which is the premier industry show, means addressing issues such as handling the larger orders that will result if any of the lines are picked up by a major store. The industry show will be held February 12-15, 2008 in Las Vegas. At the trade show, Lady J will launch her Fall 2008 Sweet Leaf collection. You can find Lady J in Booth AC 41926, where her 19-piece collection will be on display.

Lady J Jewelry Designs boasts several collections. If you frequent Brooklyn fashion boutiques, you’ve probably seen many of her designs. There is the romantic, rocker-chic feeling Original Collection and the big selling Giraffe Collection. The Saturn Series is a leather and silver line that draws on 60s mod and 80s power style. The new line, Sweet Leaf, features geometric patterning, rain forest and nature motifs using sparkly tourmaline, genuine leather, and real porcupine quills. The look continues to highlight Jessica’s powerful style, but also has a delicate, elegant appeal. The pieces form a tight collection with use of the intertwining leaf motifs, red leather, and genuine quills. The ROAR! Earrings are a very dramatic way to make a powerful statement. And as always, all of Lady J Jewelry’s pieces are hand-polished and 100% handcrafted.

Jessica and Paul are also environmentally conscious, and are donating a portion of Lady J’s profits from the Sweet Leaf collection to the Rainforest Alliance.

Jessica really likes working with silver because it is easy to work with and the reasonable costs allow her to explore her design aesthetic. She has a successful working relationship with local caster Carrera Casting. Carrera’s has a great reputation for producing quality castings for several well-known jewelry companies. The two-piece molds Carrera produces for her designs allows her great flexibility in the design, as well as production, process.

When asked about the source of her inspiration, Jessica revealed that much of her inspiration comes from being in the studio and the process of working with the component parts that become jewelry. She likes working with silver to create a strong, but delicate feminine look that is raw in texture and bold. This design aesthetic is the key to her brand. These days, she and Paul strike a balance between time in the studio and being new parents. The future is quite bright for Lady J, so stay with DIY City as we will follow Jessica and Paul into the next phase of their business.

Primarily a web-based business, you can buy Lady J Jewelry online at www.ladyjjewelry.com.

An earlier version of this article appeared in DIYthing.com