Lizzie Fortunato

Lizzie Fortunato launched her eponymous jewelry line in the spring of 2008 from the sofa of her Lower East Side walk-up. She had started designing jewelry years earlier during her undergraduate years at Duke and developed a small following that gave her the confidence that she was onto something. For her 24th birthday, Lizzie's twin sister Kathryn left her her Goldman Sachs bonus check - $10,000 - with a note that said “follow your dreams.” That was the only funding Lizzie Fortunato Jewels ever received. In 2010, Kathryn joined Lizzie Fortunato full time. Over a decade later, their collections include hand-crafted statement jewelry, 14-karat fine jewelry, handbags, belts, and scarves. Given the limited, recycled, and remotely sourced nature of many of their materials, once a piece sells out, it’s typically gone for good.