Why Stéfère’s Corina Larpin Is the Queen of Modern Fine Jewelry

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Stéfère Jewelry founder Corina Larpin not only designs striking pieces for her jet-setting clientele, the globetrotter’s striking baubles reflect an international past, an insatiable love of travel, and a glamorous, bold approach to accessorizing.

How did you get into jewelry design?

I was born and raised in Romania during the Communist era, and that experience shaped me more deeply than I realized at the time. When the revolution came in 1989, suddenly a completely different world opened up to me. I discovered fashion, glamour, luxury, and, most importantly, the freedom to express yourself creatively and individually. My journey eventually took me to Hong Kong, which became an important chapter of my life; the city is an incredible source of energy and inspiration. It constantly pushes you to think bigger, be more ambitious, and, creatively, always go one step higher. For many years, I lived among Geneva, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Greece, while constantly traveling around the world. That international lifestyle gave me a broad perspective on fashion, jewelry, luxury, and how women use what they wear to express who they are. Jewelry became a particularly powerful medium for me: It’s intimate, yet incredibly expressive. It can transform an outfit and also reveal lots about the woman wearing it—personality, confidence, sometimes even a rebellious side.

What did you set out to create with your own label, Stéfère?

Stéfère came from a desire to look at jewelry differently, instead of following traditional ideas of what fine jewelry should be. I wanted pieces with personality; pieces that are bold, unexpected, feminine, and sometimes even provocative. I wanted Stéfère to feel like a woman: sophisticated and sensual, but also strong, independent, and never afraid to break the rules. I started the brand with my best friend in Paris, but she didn’t stay on long, so I became the owner very fast. Then, my sister joined the brand seven years ago, and she’s my partner for the U.S. market. It’s amazing working together. We’re close; we’re very different, but we have the same vision. Our relationship as sisters has become even stronger. We talk for hours every day! It’s something I always dreamed about, and it happened. That feels magical.

What sorts of hurdles did Stéfère navigate early on?

Establishing a clear identity in a jewelry world that can be quite traditional was a big challenge. Instead of simply competing to make versions of what already existed from other brands, I wanted to create luxurious, beautifully crafted jewelry with a point of view. Another challenge was learning how to balance creativity with the realities of building a business. You can have endless ideas, but you also have to understand your clients, build relationships with retailers, develop the right production, and ensure that the quality always matches the vision.

How would you describe the Stéfère aesthetic?

I think Stéfère reflects a lot of my own personality and personal style. I’ve always loved being feminine, but I also like being strong, unexpected, and rebellious. I don’t like to look like everyone else! I think that naturally comes through in the jewelry. Stéfère is about confidence and individuality. I love volume, sculptural shapes, beautiful stones, and pieces that have a lot of attitude. I don’t want jewelry to be quiet. Sometimes you want it to enter the room before you do! I want the pieces to feel personal, too. You can wear a spectacular Stéfère piece with an evening gown—and also with jeans. Fine jewelry doesn’t have to be serious; it can be sensual, playful, dramatic, provocative, and even have a sense of humor.

Who was your first VIP client?

My first celebrity client was Lady Gaga, who wore a pair of Stéfère skull earrings. It was an exciting moment for me because she was such a strong and distinctive personality, and the Stéfère aesthetic felt like a natural fit for her. Celebrity relationships have developed organically over the years, often through stylists and creative teams. I love that celebrity clients are often willing to take creative risks, and want to wear jewelry that helps tell a story. They’re not simply looking for something beautiful. I’ve also worked with celebrities like Madonna, Beyoncé, Adele, Cher, Janet Jackson, Khloé Kardashian, and Taylor Swift, among many others.

What was it like working on a number of iconic Met Gala 2019 pieces, starting with Cardi B’s 44-carat ruby nipple covers?

The Met Gala is obviously a great example of the kind of creative projects I love. The Cardi B look was completely extraordinary because we were asked to create something that was almost impossible to ignore—the 44-carat ruby nipple pieces for her Thom Browne look. It was such a bold concept! I loved the challenge of creating jewelry that’s an integral part of the entire fashion moment, instead of just an accessory. We didn’t have a lot of time to source the stones; the first stones were beautiful but didn’t quite work with the dress. My whole team worked day and night to make it happen—it was Easter, everything was closed, no one would answer the phone. I thought, “I cannot find them so quickly,” but then I remembered. I never say no to something. No is not an option!

You also created pieces for Zendaya and Janelle Monáe to wear at that year’s Met Gala.

Zendaya’s Cinderella moment was completely different than Cardi B’s pieces; we created the full accessories set, and the jewelry had to work as part of the magical transformation. Janelle’s rings were an exciting opportunity to work with form and volume. I love sculptural jewelry, so projects like that allow me to push that side of my creativity. What makes these projects so exciting is that there is usually an entire creative team involved—the celebrity, stylist, designer, creative director, and often a fashion house. Everyone brings something to the table, and sometimes you have to rethink your first idea completely. I find that exchange is incredibly inspiring.

How did Stéfère land its roster of retailers?

It’s always been about finding the right partners, versus simply trying to be everywhere; it’s important a retailer understands Stéfère and the woman we’re speaking to. Hong Kong was particularly important because of my history there and because it gave Stéfère an international perspective early on. From there, international luxury retailers became a natural part of growing the brand, like Maxfield and The Swan House in Los Angeles, and Marissa Collections in Florida. Each of these retailers has its own unique identity and clientele, and I love the way they curate and present Stéfère within their world. Our relationships with Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue has grown beautifully, too.

How does travel inspire your designs?

I spend the summer in Greece, from May through October. We have a holiday house in Mykonos, and all my friends and family meet there in the summer. My team joins me, too. You’ll see a lot of blue in my collections, and that’s inspired by the shades of blue in Mykonos. I just love this country—the people, the colors, the food, the music.

You’re even planning ultra-luxe adventures for others now! What’s the concept behind Travel with Stéfère?

It’s a project close to my heart that started three years ago and has grown into an incredibly successful, important part of the Stéfère universe. We invite our VIP clients to travel with Stéfère around the world, bringing together carefully curated groups of 20 to 40 people from different countries for special destinations. We’ve done Vietnam, Mykonos, Paris, and Cannes so far. Interest has grown so much that our client list is already full for some upcoming destinations! We also love connecting Travel with Stéfère to meaningful causes, like amfAR and Global Gift Foundation. Combining travel, fashion, jewelry, philanthropy, and our community in one experience is special. Seeing friendships develop between people who may never have met otherwise is incredibly rewarding for me.

How much of your workload is custom pieces versus collection design?

Both are important to me, but they inspire me in completely different ways. Collections allow me to express a larger creative vision. I can develop a theme, experiment with shapes and stones, and create an entire Stéfère universe around an idea. Custom pieces are more intimate. You’re designing for one particular person, so you have to listen carefully. Sometimes a client comes to me with a clear idea, and sometimes they simply tell me about their personality, their life, or something they love, and we start creating from there. I love when a client says, “I have always dreamed of having this.” Then we work together to make that dream possible.

How has the jewelry industry changed over time since you’ve worked in it?

Women are defining jewelry on their own terms. When I started, there were more traditional ideas about what fine jewelry should look like, when and how you should wear it. Today, women are more interested in individuality, whether that’s mixing fine and fashion jewelry, wearing spectacular pieces during the day, or combining different metals and styles. That evolution is aligned with what Stéfère does.

How does it feel to toast two decades of Stéfère?

It’s an incredible milestone, and I’m incredibly grateful. So many people have believed in Stéfère along the way. I hope I’m still just as excited in 20 years from now when someone comes to me and says, “I have a crazy idea. Can we make it?”