A
fashion designer by trade, Jackie Messinger has been creating ready-to-wear
jewelry since 1999. Having held various positions in the fashion industry since
the mid-80s, she was graduated from New York's Fashion Institute of Technology
with a degree in fashion design. She soon started to explore her other artistic
talents of oil painting, stained glass and jewelry making. After taking her
first glass bead-making class with Leah Fairbanks in 2000, Jackie realized glasswork
was the area she truly wanted to focus on. After submerging herself in her studio
trying to come up with a unique style that would be her trademark, she tapped
into her fashion design skills for inspiration. A collection of life-like doll
beads was born. Aptly named the “Torchettes,” each doll is complete
with an outfit to suit the individual character. Since her work includes other
mediums, it’s only natural that some designs are done in combination of
glass, precious metal and precious stones. She continues to create unique styles
using different elements from these materials, as well as following the current
fashion trends for colors and styling. At the same time, the spectrum of her
collection spans from classic, to trendy to elegant to capture a broader client
taste levels.
Jackie
resides in Lake Hiawatha, NJ with her husband, Robert, and her daughter, Laura.
