Courtesy
Lorraine Schwartz is normally frantic this time of year, prepping for awards season and dressing her celebrity pals in megawatt jewels worth millions. She’s the indisputable go-to source for A-listers when they want to make a dramatic entrance, like when Beyoncé showed up at the Grammys in a red sequin dress and a 400-carat diamond necklace worth $12 million, or when Blake Lively appeared at the Met Gala in a goddess-like halo with 100 carats of diamonds.
Those entertainers didn t just borrow the jewels; they became her friends and collaborated on image-making looks. And even when other big jewelry houses offered them big bucks to wear their designs many of the celebrities remained loyal to Schwartz, who says she never pays them. Time and again, the designer has created custom-made, jaw-dropping pieces, often with hundreds of carats of spectacular gems and just a few days notice.