Photographer and Artist - Barbara Sklar
| Lorraine Baratta Design Collections is an exclusive fashion design studio initially specializing in one-of-a-kind custom wedding gowns. The signature characteristic of these gowns consisted of custom beading with semi-precious gemstones. She took her passion to create with semi-precious gemstones and branched into designing inspired jewelry.
Lorraine Baratta has established herself as the designer of choice for the discerning customer for everyday wear or special occasions, representing all that is sleek and sophisticated in today's jewelry fashion. The diversity in her designs are created specifically for the discerning customer.
"Baratta's signature collection of One-of-a-Kind Baubles includes the Garden Necklace, wrought of keishi "cornflake" pearls; the Fruit Drop (London blue topaz or lemon citrine on a gold triple chain); and the Birth Necklace, made of hand-blown borosilicate glass combined with traditional birth stones (like peridot for August) and finished off with seed pearls and Swarovski crystals. Her pieces are downright sexy - provocative in their use of natural stones, asymmetry and often haunting colors. Even the chunky wood pieces are feminine". Lorraine Baratta Designs have been sported by headliners such as pop star JoJo, fashion supermodel and television personality, Tyra Banks, BET Style Host, Melissa Ford, and by The Apprentice's very own Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth. Chart-topping 21-year old Ciara will be wearing a fabulous Lorraine Baratta wooden piece from the LBD Natural Collection in her soon-to-be-released feature film, Mama, I Want To Sing. And watch for actress Christine Chatelain who was thrilled to show off a piece from the BOOTLet® Collection in Fox's recently released DVD, Dr. Doolittle, Tail to the Chief. Jene Luciani, WAG Magazine's Fashion and Beauty Editor, selected and wore Baratta's BOOTLets® to jazz up her footwear.
Baratta designs are routinely featured in (201) Magazine. The designer acts as an accessories stylist, adorning the models on the magazine's fashion pages with her latest collections. The editor knows that she will add the perfect finishing touch to every ensemble with her distinct designs.
Her entrepreneurial success story was recently the March cover story of (201) Magazine, the Best of Bergen, and the designer continues to receive widespread media attention.
Lorraine’s philosophy in life is to make sure you are helpful to others and continue to do good things for our universe… with that in mind she designed a very special awareness collection called the “Caring Coins™”.
Grateful for her good fortune, Baratta began "Giving Back", donating to local events and benefiting charities through the sale of a series she calls "Caring Coins."
“I created the Caring Coins to be a constant reminder about issues that are close to the wearer’s heart and a stylish expression of what they think is important,” said designer Baratta. The coins feature life symbols such as the ankh, and support cures for ailments from Parkinson's to breast cancer. Coin necklaces expanded into coin anklets that kick bootlets (anklets for your boots) up a notch.
Lorraine's inspiration for designing and creating this collection came from many different influences. One of the influences is her daughter who is very caring in many ways. She is the founder of Kidz4Kidz, since 2002, a group that raises funds for many different children's charities. Special thanks goes to Lorraine's husband Tom for all the ongoing love and support he continues to provide her. The idea to use coins came from a very good friend and another good friend named the collection. Lorraine also was inspired by Leonardo Di Caprio and Oprah Winfrey during a very special segment with Leonardo as a special guest speaking about Global Warming.
“When I saw a very young person express such a need to change the way we live to protect us from what could be a horrible disaster, I felt so inspired,” explained Lorraine. “What we put into our universe, we get back…good or bad.” | | |
