Tarina Tarantino Interview
[ 5 January 2008 ]
I recently had the opportunity to interview the inimitable Tarina Tarantino, jeweller extraordinaire! Here are five quick questions & her delightful answers…
Q: Tell me how living in Los Angeles influences what you do. How different do you think your jewellery would be if you worked from New York?
A: I love both cities & am inspired by both in different ways. Of course, L.A. is my home & I get lots of inspiration from this colourful city. On my way to work I get to see — seriously — some of the most beautiful street graffiti, then there is the gorgeous architecture in downtown LA & of course the sun makes everything sparkle!
Q: What’s your personal fashion direction going to be like for this winter?
A: It’s all about cute winter coats, I have them in every colour! My favourite one right now is an ice-cream yellow vintage London Fog rain coat.
Q: Whose style or aesthetic do you admire? What’s your advice for people who are still trying to develop their own look?
A: Try to find someone who will tell you the truth about what looks good on you when you go shopping. Sometimes we wear things that are not flattering because we are trying to hide our flaws, & we end up looking frumpy. Don’t be afraid to take risks — if you love a certain colour make it your signature. You don’t have to dye your hair pink like me, but when you find a colour that looks good on you there is nothing wrong with putting a lot of that colour into your wardrobe.
Q: With all the pink deliciousness of your work, do you ever get saccharine-overload? Is your home, for example, a paradigm of Zen calm? Or does the pink follow you everywhere?
A: Hahahaha! I love this question as people are always surprised when they visit my house. I think that people expect me to live in a gingerbread house covered in candy or something, but it is actually more mid-century with a cosy twist. My office on the other hand has light pink walls… they help to keep me calm!
Q: What’s the best compliment you have ever received?
A: When I see a stranger walking down the street wearing one of my pieces. The greatest compliment is when someone chooses to buy one of my designs, wears it & loves it. My customers are my celebrities & I have amazing customers!
& also, a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Edith, winner of the Tarina Tarantino three-row neon buddha cuff bracelet!
Thank you so much Tarina! xxx
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala 
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I AM IN LOVE with tarina! she has some of the most amazing pieces!
I looove Tarina!!! I wish I could get some of her pieces here in Mexico u_u.
She’s my favourite jewler ever!!
How she makes me wish to have my pink hair back! Fabulous interview, lucky girl.
...when you find a colour that looks good on you there is nothing wrong with putting a lot of that colour into your wardrobe. – I needed to read this! I get a lot of criticism about the amount of green that has crept into my wardrobe, but it’s one my favourite colours and always causes comment about how it ‘brings out your eyes’.
P
x
“when you find a colour that looks good on you there is nothing wrong with putting a lot of that colour into your wardrobe”
Hell yeah! Hence all my purple :)
Two of my favourite stylish, inspirational ladies together! What a wonderful start to my lazy Saturday afternoon :).
CONGRATS EDITH!!! i remember reading her post and being able to relate =D
Fabulous post Gala, this is so relevant because in my english class i have to do an interview I am now totally inspiried =DD
Yay! I adore her jewellery. Fantastic interview!
Her hair is pink
I love her all the more for this! She is so fabulous!
Ooooh, I think I would love her house! What a wonderful combination of styles!
what a lovely mini-interview!! :) I always love reading about creative-types that have successful businesses and how their aesthetic sensibilities translate into other areas of life. :) I’d love to see what her house looks like… it sounds gorgeous!
She is a DOLL.
xoxo.
Yes, yes! Delightful interview. I agree with Casey’s sentiments about successful-creative-types… perhaps Gala you could do more interviews with these sorts of wonderful ladies? So inspiring!
0oh tarina is fantabolous. i wish i could see her house it sounds breathtaking.
BTW i still think your old header is better
but congratulations on moving on and starting fresh.
man i love her
i love all her Jewellery i have just brought my self two of the Hello Kitty Pink head necklaces!! one in my colour to match my hair (purple)and the other in white as i thought it would be different. i wish i could go to LA and see her store it would be a dream come true!!!
I am the proud owner of one of her Kitty necklaces…when i first discovered her work a few years ago i was overwhelmed with glee _
So cool you got to interview her Gala!
She’s so so so great. I adore my Queen Alice TT ring. Whenever I wear it, I get loads of compliments. Such a conversation starter!
Yes, yes, yes. I love the street graffiti in LA! It’s always thrilling to find out that someone else appreciates it. LA is so fantastic. I should just swoon right now and get it over with.
Would that we all looked so good in fuchsia hair. I know I don’t.
I love that she recognizes LA as a great inspiration—everything is giant here, from flowers to egos to the noonday sun; it can make much of the rest of the country look shriveled.
EVERY girl should have a necklace made of giant pearls. It makes accesorizing soo much fun! I wear the one I made with T- shirts as well as fancier outfits.
I’ve been a lurker for a few days now and thought it was about time to leave you a comment. I love what you do and how you do it. You inspire me to write better articles :]
i had never heard of her until i stumbled upon icing. i went on her site and i love love love her headbands! gorgeous.
I hadn’t heard of her until I started reading this blog either, but she makes some really adorable, whimsy-laden pieces that sort of make you want to bedeck yourself in everything shiny and sparkly.
Congrats Edith! I’m SO jealous. The three-row neon buddha cuff bracelet is Adorable with a capital A! I might sneakily ensure my boyfriend stumbles across a link to it in the hope that one might miraculously find its way to me in the form of a 1st anniversary or birthday present. ;) xox
I have a wig that looks just like her hair. Heehee.
xx
THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!
ANY TIME BABY!