Cartier, Chopard, Van Cleef & Arpels.
These venerable jewelery houses have outfitted Hollywood starlets in the most glamorous jewels for decades.
But there's an upstart in the world of accessorizing A-listers: Dana Rebecca Levy.
At just 27, Dana has made a name for herself against her century-old competitors with her timeless but trendy styles. Among her celebrity clientele -- Mila Kunis to Stacy Keibler.
Two Dana Rebecca Designs were worn in "Gossip Girl" recent milestone wedding episode. Blake Lively donned the Melissa Louise studs, while Leighton Meester wore the Kathryn Lynn style!
toofab chatted with Dana Rebecca about how she broke into the world of celebrity jewelry, her inspiration, and her thoughts on the hot new trends.
toofab: How did you get started in the business?
Dana: I've always been the creative, artsy girl. I grew up in the diamond industry and launched my first collection at sixteen traveling in India with my dad.
toofab: Why focus on earrings?
Dana: I'm very earring heavy. The perfect accessory is a pair of earrings. A lot of women wear one pair of earrings and the rest of their jewelry is locked up in the bank. I wanted to make a collection that was timeless and day to night. You can wear them to the office and then out. You can wear them with jeans and a tee and with a gown.
toofab: Who was the first celebrity to wear your designs?
Dana: My first celebrity experience was working with a friend that styled Jamie Lynn Sigler. She was going to an afterparty. She wore a pair of Shonna Drew earrings that has stayed in our collection for the last five years.
toofab: How did your business grow?
Dana: When I first started out it was mostly just family, friends and networking. We've built great relationships with most of the major stylists in L.A. and they're pulling my designs. It's always fun to see your designs walk the red carpet (Evan Rachel Wood wore her Anna Beth earrings to the Critic's Choice Awards, and Amy Poehler wore her Lauren Joy earrings to the Writer's Guild Association Awards).
toofab: How do you name your pieces?
Dana: My main source of inspiration comes from women around me. All my pieces come from their first names.
toofab: Which stars would you like to see in your designs?
Dana: I love Emma Stone. She's cool and edgy. Michelle Williams has an elegant and classic look. I love Salma Hayek because she can wear color and big, bold pieces.
toofab: What's a hot trend for spring?
Dana: Nothing says spring like turquoise and tourmaline. To match the slight glow on your cheeks from the spring weather, jewel tones will be bold and bright this season.
To see even more of Dana Rebecca's designs, head over to her website!
