Stefanie Somers Collection is the glam girl’s go-to. Famous for adorning countless beauty queens in Miss America, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants, SSC, as it’s nicknamed, knows how to turn heads. They’re stunning earrings are blinged-out and bedazzled, sparkling and crystallized. Stefanie Somers Collection is unique in that it specializes in special occasions, and they even design clip-on earrings, in part, because clip-ons are easier to wear for a long time period! (In fact, we recently featured clip-ons in our post “Clip-On Craze” - check it out!) They recently introduced some stunning new pieces to Max & Chloe, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We were lucky enough to snag an interview with the glitzy designer. Listen in:
Max & Chloe: Who is/are the founders of the Stefanie Somers Jewelry Collection?
Stefanie Somers: The Stefanie Somers Collection is eponymous – it was started by Stefanie, and is run by Stefanie and her husband Mark. It’s most definitely a family affair!
MC: Where is your office based out of?
SS: We’re nestled on ten beautiful acres north of Houston, Texas, guarded by a loyal army of rescued dogs and cats!!
MC: What inspires your jewelry designs?
SS: I look at everything….. I’m a fashion history junkie, and I have a huge library of books on fashion and jewelry history. I’m also totally enamored of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Broadway and the Theatre… and I love staring at architecture. I just never know where something is just going to jump from and give me an idea. It’s been as grand as watching a tree sway in a breeze, and as mundane as the accidental arrangement of a handful of crystals thrown onto my bench. I get quite a few fabulous designs from what initially seem to be wrong turns, too, so I don’t mind chasing the odd thought!
MC: In three words, how would you describe the Stefanie Somers Collection girl?
SS: Confident – Dramatic - Glowing
MC: Why do you think celebrities, like Miranda Lambert, gravitate toward your jewelry?
SS: These pieces are glamorous, fabulous jewelry that you wear, but that doesn’t wear you. They’re designed to accent the face and shoulders, not just hang there – so many pieces I see today are gorgeous, but do nothing for the woman who wears them. These pieces are organic in line, and flow with a woman’s curves. They’re sexy, confident, and move with you – they frame you rather than compete with you. Smart women like Miranda know how to pick accessories that accentuate their features!
MC: You have strong ties with the Miss USA pageant. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?
SS: My work was recognized almost 20 years ago by a USA state director – he put my earrings on one of his state titleholders, and she won the Miss Teen USA title. I began getting calls, and pretty soon I was designing with an eye to that market. I’ve been worn by Miss USA and Miss America winners, and I’ve been worn at the Miss Universe pageant- - it’s very cool to have that kind of recognition all over the world. I’m usually pretty heavily represented at both Miss USA and Miss America – I was on 21 states at Miss USA this year, and I expect to be on 10 at Miss America. As a designer who loves working with crystal, that’s a dream world to be involved with – everything sparkles!
MC: What is your own personal must-have piece of jewelry?
SS: I haven’t taken my wedding ring off since I got it - How corny is that? I adore a long, linear black earring, like my KENDYL in Jet. It’s simple, go everywhere, slimming and elongating, which we all love. It’s my go-to earring on the rare occasion I have to dress up!
MC: What advice do you have for aspiring jewelry designers?
SS: Look at everything. Read everything. Join everything. Touch everything you can. Become familiar, ask questions, touch. Go to the Tucson shows, read the magazines, crawl the websites. There’s something to be learned everywhere. Study fashion history – not just jewelry, but clothing, millinery, handbags too. Look at drape, hardware, line… there really is something to be learned everywhere. Find something that feeds you, whether it’s color, or structure, whatever it is, and drink deeply. Most important – DON’T BE AFRAID TO SCREW UP. A lot of what you do at first is going to be junk. Make it anyway. And then learn to edit. Editing will become one of your most valuable skills. But never be afraid to fail. In order to learn what works, you have to first learn what doesn’t.