Stephanie Schwallie

Background

About Stephanie Schwallie

Stephanie Schwallie is a jewelry and accessories designer with over 20 years of experience creating compelling, brand-defining collections across the luxury, contemporary, and mass markets. She brings a rare combination of creative vision and deep technical knowledge, with a background in metalsmithing and jewelry design that informs every facet of her work—from concept and sketch to sourcing, sampling, and final production. With experience designing for both runway and retail, Stephanie has led product development for high-profile fashion houses and mid-tier powerhouses alike, including Vera Wang, Isaac Mizrahi, J.Crew, Anthropologie, and Target. Her portfolio includes everything from one-of-a-kind couture pieces to scalable, cost-sensitive lines for national retailers. She is adept at balancing aspirational design with commercial viability, and has extensive experience in both domestic and overseas manufacturing environments—including travel throughout Asia for vendor development and material sourcing. In 2017, she took on the creative revival of CASTLECLIFF, a storied New York jewelry house founded in 1918. Under her leadership, the brand has evolved into a sustainable luxury label, celebrated for its bold silhouettes, handcrafted details, and commitment to recycled and vintage materials. Her work reflects a profound respect for craft and heritage—she is a passionate historian of 20th-century costume jewelry, with a collector’s eye and curator’s approach to design. Stephanie’s approach is collaborative, strategic, and deeply materials-driven. Her expertise spans ferrous and non-ferrous metals, enamel, resin, glass, fabric, and emerging sustainable alternatives. She is fluent in both hand rendering and digital development, with proficiency in Adobe-based CAD tools and a strong understanding of the full product lifecycle. Currently based in New York, Stephanie is open to future creative collaborations, consulting opportunities, and freelance design work—particularly with brands that share her values of sustainability, craftsmanship, and design-driven storytelling.