Our Story
Our Story...
When a woman purchases a brand of jewelry with a person’s name behind it, there is a degree of wonder about what the designer. Who is she? What’s she like? The Michele Baratta brand, seen in stores and catalogs from coast to coast, is no different.
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The story really has very humble beginnings…in the living room of Michele’s Mom in Westlake Village, California in 1988. Michele was still in college.
...But first, here’s a little background on Michele. She attended the “Fashion Institute of Design in Los Angeles” with a degree in Fashion Design. Michele then attended the renowned “Otis Parsons” Art Institute in Los Angeles and Paris. A few years later she studied at “The Academy of Art in San Francisco”. Michele always new she wanted to own her own business and decided to attend business school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
It was while working in a clothing store in Malibu that changed everything.
Michele started making jewelry for herself out of all different hand blown glass beads and silver wire that was supplied by her Mother who was a sales rep for a precious metal company.
The store's customers kept asking Michele where she got such unique jewelry. So, the owners asked if she could make some pieces to sell in their store. It was completely unexpected and was an immediate success!
They kept selling out of everything and they wanted more!
Michele's neighbor caught wind of Michele's success and asked her to participate in the Los Angeles Gift Show. Knowing that Michele had no money for such an expensive endeavor, he gave her a vacant space at the show. So, tools in hand, Michele and then boyfriend Andy, built a booth. The excitement was tremendous from the attending buyers. Before we knew it "we had 40 stores wanting to carry the line" and sales reps wanting to represent her jewelry line. That was over 18 years ago and today the brand is a mainstay in stores and catalogs throughout the country.
So, in the living room of Michele's Mom, Michele Baratta Studios was born. Since then, Michele's jewelry has be seen everywhere from Department Stores such as "Nordstrom's to better boutiques around the country. to retail catalogs such as "Sundance, Coldwater Creek, Land of Nod and J Jill to name a few. She has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers. Her jewelry has been seen on some of our favorite celebrities on television and film such as Courtney Cox, Jennie Garth, Lisa Kudrow and Meg Ryan to name a few.
Michele Baratta Studios was founded in 1988 as an outlet for Michele's creativity. Michele Baratta is a California born artist. "To know Michele is to embrace her contagious smile and love for people and the world around her." She is a Mother of two beautiful children, Lily and Tristan, and to know her husband Andy is to experience his irresistible sense of humor and his enthusiasm for life.
Each piece of jewelry is individually hand-casted in sterling silver. She uses freshwater pearls and semi-precious stones to add color to the line.
We take pride that everything is made in the USA.