"In this world, don't take s-t, but also, understand that if you want to be in that world, you got to be able to carry the responsibility that comes with it. "And that would be my advice for women," Schwartz noted. "I learned to hold my own because this is my motto: If you want to play with the big boys," she told E! News, "you got to be that way. She channeled her own strength to stand her ground through tough diamond negotiation and earn respect within her male-dominated industry. If anything, you make that give you the strength to be better." It's just that you don't let that hold you back. If anything, it was harder for me and being a woman was crazy difficult. "Being the granddaughter of one of the biggest diamond dealers in the wasn't easier for me. I mean, people don't even know that story," she recalled. I had to go to Philadelphia and New Jersey and go from store to store and try to sell diamonds. "It was really hard for me in the beginning. While there are plenty of career highlights she reflects on with pride today, the challenges are equally unforgettable. "The next day, everywhere was like, "Who stole the limelight from the inauguration? Beyoncé's emerald earrings.' So it was like, 'Oh my God, that's crazy.'" While Schwartz had originally wanted Beyoncé to wear them to the 2013 Super Bowl, they ended up having their shining moment weeks earlier. Good timing always helps, as was the case with those emerald earrings at President Obama's inauguration. "That was the best era to me of the 'bling bling.' It was over-the-top, but a lot of people were getting stones that just weren't worth the money and they just didn't know." God willing, you'll have money forever, but you really want this jewelry to last and be worth it,' so I would educate them about stones," she explained. "Especially with the hip hop world and people in the entertainment industry, I said to them, 'You have money now, you don't know what's going to happen. "I think because I'm a woman and I have a different aesthetic, I really look for the beauty in everything, and the unusual and things I would want to wear."Īs part of her hands-on approach, Schwartz forged friendships with her clients by playing teacher, instructing them on the different ways they could wear their newest purchase and guiding them on how to make the best jewelry investments. "I really know so much about diamonds, but then I started to really learn about all precious stones and really what's unique about them, and also about the stones that are cut unusually," she explained. There's also, of course, the product itself, a result of Lorraine's unique style and expansive knowledge. "I wanted to be Barbara Walters at the time," she confessed. As she revealed in an exclusive interview with E! News, "Not even a little bit." But, jewelry was not always the plan for Schwartz. Just hearing her name, perhaps, conjured up visions of the emerald earrings Beyoncé donned at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration or the 15-carat diamond ring Kanye West got down on one knee to propose with that same year.Ī bonafide trendsetting jeweler to the stars, some of the most recognized names in the world-we're talking Kim Kardashian, Sofia Vergara, Blake Lively, Angelina Jolie, Chrissy Teigen, Priyanka Chopraand Cardi B-have dazzled in her pieces. That's because, after about two decades helming her namesake brand and even more time in the business of baubles, she's become synonymous with megawatt celebrity jewelry. Spanning industries and experiences, these powerhouse women answer all the questions you've ever had about how they got to where they are today-and what they overcame to get there. Read along as they bring their resumés to life.Įven if you don't see Lorraine Schwartz on a red carpet, you can't miss her work. Welcome to E!'s Tales From the Top, our series on women who are leaders in their fields and masters of their craft.
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