Dorian Webb, Designer: A tFS Exclusive Interview

 

Who could have guessed that a summer study in Florence would start her on the path to a career where she is causing consumers to look at semiprecious stones and chandeliers in new and interesting ways?

By bringing a new voice and creative verve to garnet, lapis lazuli, turquoise, malachite and topaz – semiprecious stones that were once the reverent province of Aphrodite, Freya, Inanna, and the earth goddess Gaia – Webb is expanding the jewelry color palette and accessibility to cost-conscious consumers.

With First Lady Michelle Obama donning her creations and features in Glamour, Seventeen, Essence, Lucky, and O magazines, as well as multiple appearances on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Webb is well on her way to becoming the jewelry designer of choice for the fashion-forward style maven who wants beauty and fabulousness at a price that doesn’t break the bank.

 

Dorian Webb: No, but my parents always encouraged my involvement in artistic pursuits. Though I took ceramic lessons, jewelry classes, painting, glassblowing, and a wide range of creative outlets, I had not considered fashion as a career choice.

tFS: Your interest in jewelry-making was piqued by a trip to Venice and viewing beautiful Venetian glass. What fascinated you about Venetian glass?

Webb: I was fascinated by the idea that the craftsmanship goes back hundreds of years, and has been passed on from one generation to the next. I was also fascinated by the fact that you could witness the craftsmen at work, and that the craft is not mass-produced.

tFS: Did you have any jewelry-making skill before you got involved in the craft?

Webb: I did take a metalsmithing class in Florence during my summer study there. I have taken jewelry classes at several colleges and universities in Philadelphia, and I continue to take refresher courses to learn new techniques.


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