Kara Ross, a jewelry and handbag designer based in New York City, has been passionate about gemstones since she was young. A role model of hard work and dedication (the two qualities that she finds most valuable in someone pursuing a career in fashion), Ross began designing jewelry at the early age of 13. Her elegant yet modern architectural pieces have landed her collections in high-end department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Ross stresses the importance of a strong education since this industry will, as she puts it, “always be about learning.” Fittingly enough, I learned a few things from her, as she was kind enough to answer some of my questions.

Monica Mendal: Given my readership, let’s start with the basics! Where did you go to school? What did you study?
Kara Ross: I completed my undergrad at Georgetown—majoring in art history—and followed it a few years later with a degree from the Gemological Institute of America [GIA].

MM: How, or rather, why did you end up in the fashion industry?
KR: I actually started out on the other side of the industry, working in advertising at Harper’s Bazaar post-graduation. That exposure really crystallized my desire and drive to be a designer, and I soon left to study for my GIA certification.

MM: You started off with just jewelry, then later moved on to exotic handbags. Why’s that?
KR: For me, everything begins with gemstones—the first piece I ever designed was around [a gem] that I chose on a family safari to Africa. That experience guided my design interests and led me to appreciate working with natural materials. Jewelry was the obvious direction to go in, although I specifically chose to expand later with exotic skin handbags because they require the same level of expertise and thought. Otherwise, branching out was just the result of sensing the market was ready and doing the needed research. I personally traveled to Italy to meet with producers and understand what I would need to accomplish in the U.S.

MM: Where do you get your inspiration?
KR: I find inspiration through the world around me—as addicted to my BlackBerry as I am, I cannot stress enough that designers need to ignore technology sometimes and really try to fully experience where they are! Modern architecture, especially that by Sir Norman Foster, was really the catalyst for major design decisions behind my new gemstone collection. An upcoming trip to India, meanwhile, is going to be incredible in terms of making me think about new shapes and colors for my Kara by Kara Ross line.

MM: What kind of girl or woman do you design for?
KR: There are no rules about who I design for. It’s consistent across all my collections that the pieces are made for people to love and luxuriate in, and it’s really up to them to translate that into their own style. I work to make things at each price point that reflect this ethos, so it doesn’t matter if it’s the $200 sterling silver ring or $4000 crocodile clutch—they both have the same level of detail and richness.

MM: You seem to have a pretty busy life! How do you balance family and work?
KR: It’s really just constantly being aware that both have to fit in, somehow. There’s a lot of planning and a lot of prioritizing.

MM: I’ve noticed your company’s involvement on Facebook and Twitter. How do you see this new media influencing the fashion world?
KR: We have Oscar de la Renta saying that “Twitter is the new press release”; [Women’s Wear Daily] reporting how many “likes” a brand has on their Facebook page…you can’t underestimate the impact social media has had or ignore it. I think it’s making designers understand their consumers in new and different ways, and that’s not a bad thing.

MM: What would be your advice to aspiring designers or fashionistas, in general?
KR: Two words: hard work. People do get discovered on the street, but often they need to research what street to be on. Start with the best education you can and go from there—this is an industry that is always going to be about learning.

MM: What do you look for in someone when interviewing them for a position at your company?
KR: Poise and presence, work ethic and ability to work well in a collaborative environment all need to be demonstrated.