Jewelry designer Loree Rodkin may be best known for designing first lady Michelle Obama’s inauguration jewelry (the pieces — a pair of 61-carat diamond earrings, a 13-carat diamond cocktail ring and a set of diamond bangles — are now part of the Smithsonian’s permanent collection), but her soul is inherently more rock star than White House. Rodkin began as an interior designer, with clients like Alice Cooper and Rod Stewart, before transitioning to talent manager, responsible for the careers of then unknowns Brad Pitt, Robert Downey Jr. and Sarah Jessica Parker. After she decided to design jewelry, she was an immediate success, with fans including Madonna, Steven Tyler, Elton John, Janey Jackson, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber and her best friend, Cher. With motifs that include snakes, skulls, gothic crosses and spiderwebs, the edgy appeal is obvious. But the fine jewelry, encrusted with high-quality diamonds and precious metals, appeals to anyone with spotlight aspirations.
