The beautiful gold designed walls and chandeliers bring you to communications and style firm, Bollare on Melrose in West Hollywood. Bollare works with many clients in and out of the Los Angeles area in sunglasses, swimwear, casual, and chic attire. Known for countless leading fashion lines, the firm is dressed to impress from walls, mirrors and accessories itself.
A lamp lit up the light blue walls, pink peonies and roses filled glass cubes with fresh water and pebbles. Black velvet necklace and bracelet stands didn’t stand bare. Beside them, stood the story and pieces of the Dalla Nonna Collection.
Rebecca Richard and Jessica Bohner were college roommates at Penn State University when an idea subsided. Both girls, working at law firms, wanted to bring something new into the fashion industry. Ideas were scattered, they contemplated between many. It definitely wasn’t easy to pull forward an idea, they explained. It took quite some time.
When Bohner’s grandfather passed away, her grandmother handed down a vintage tie pin. Bohner wore the pin often, it resembled a small calendar, month and days included. After two years of constant brainstorming, compliments to this vintage piece brought forward just the beginning of ideas with a jewelry line. Dalla Nonna was created. The girls both fell for taking something old, used or vintage and making it new again. Seeing as a piece handed down that was used as a necklace caught so much attention, the idea couldn’t seem to fit any better.
The name Dalla Nonna translates from Italian to “from the grandmother.”
The Dalla Nonna chic and custom collection started with its signature piece, the calendar necklace. Offered in four metals, two finishes and seven stones, the necklace is completely customizable. Month and date can be chosen for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and much more. Dates are filled with choice of sparkling sapphires; more than one date can be chosen on a single calendar pendant as well. The pendant is also available on a variety of suede wrap around bracelets in different colors.
Small letters in script create the little letter necklace and bracelet collections for your own customizable words, initials or names. Letters may be added on bracelets and necklaces by themselves or with other pendants. Light and dark rainbow knitted friendship bracelets are also new to the collection, “BFF” was on display as a possible option.
The portafortuna, Italian meaning good luck, collection in the line is represented by both traditional and personal good luck symbol pendants. The collection features a heart, wishbone, hamsa, peony, honeycomb and scatter of sparkle. Three sapphire stones accentuate each piece, gold and silver rings are also available. Will earrings be next in the collection? Richards says, “Possibly.”
The collections have been seen on Whitney Port, Jessica Alba, and Chelsea Handler and featured in various magazines such as Real Simple, Teen Vogue and People.
In support of millions of adults and children in east Africa who are threatened by famine, a special pendant was created. The square pendant is filled with stars, of resemblance to the flag of Somalia. Dalla Nonna donates 20% to those in need in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. With the month of October right around the corner, Dalla Nonna also supports breast cancer awareness. All purchases on pink suede bracelets donate 10% to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Supporting a cause while adding a unique and fun piece to an outfit, why not?
A square poster board stood at the background of the collection filled with old photographs of Richards and Bohner with their mothers and grandmothers, cutouts of favorite vintage fashion pieces, postcards and water colored sketches. Family bonds as well as those with their own friendship are of greatest importance. “When you have a personal connection, it makes it that much better,” said Bohner as she explained their process and love for the line that has become. Both have built the collection with the aesthetic and contributed with the things they love. Every piece is unique; every design chosen is one’s own, a great gift, friendship bracelet or newly chic accessory in your jewelry carousel.
Every designer can start a new line, but what makes one stand out from the rest is the unique story behind it and the causes it thrives to give back to.
To view, purchase and check out what may come next for the Dalla Nonna Collection, visit dallanonnajewelry.com
