Over the past decade, Ippolita has become a force to be reckoned with. From her ever-popular bangles and huge celebrity following to her travel adventures for finding the best stones the world has to offer, Ippolita’s jewelry makes every woman feel her very best. Read on as Ippolita tells Style Solutions her story.

S: What’s the back story behind Ippolita jewelry?

I: I’ve been an artist all of my life, but was inspired to create the brand when I wasn’t able to find the kind of jewelry I wanted to wear: beautiful, handcrafted pieces meant to be worn everyday for every occasion.

S: You’ve made it big in the jewelry business. When was your “aha!” moment?

I: I started designing jewelry when I moved to New York from Italy after the birth of my daughter. I felt like I had made it when I naively approached Bergdorf Goodman with my first collection and they bought it!

S: It seems like everyone (including me!) is obsessed with your bangles!

I: Bangles look great on everyone and I purposefully design my bangles to be worn together. The more you wear the better they look, which makes it impossible to just buy one. While bangles are still the most popular category, earrings are becoming a close second.

S: The stones you use in your jewelry are gorgeous. Where do you source?

I: Traveling the world to find beautiful and unique materials is one of my favorite aspects of my job. This season, I sourced lapis in Thailand, diamonds in India and some amazing turquoise here in the USA.

S: Tell me about your less pricey non-metal bangles.

I: For the past few seasons I have been using resin, which comes in fantastic colors and looks incredible with sterling silver and gemstones. I love that these pieces make a bold statement and are affordable, but for me it’s about the design, so next season it may be something completely different.

S: I’m obsessed with your rose-gold pieces. How did you anticipate this trend? 

I: I wanted to create a feminine yet modern metal that flattered every skin tone, so I began experimenting and came up with Ippolita Rosé. Women responded to it and the collection has been developing ever since.

S: Tell me about your celebrity following; the list is endless! 

I: All of the women who wear my jewelry are inspiring, but what’s most rewarding is the seemingly universal appeal- from Susan Sarandon to Zoe Saldana to Dakota Fanning. I love that they all wear Ippolita in their own unique way.

S: Agreed. What’s next for Ippolita jewelry?

I: We have some exciting projects in the works for 2012,  but I can’t talk about them just yet… stay tuned!