Contestant's Case to Win

Jewelry designers draw inspiration from interesting people, places and things. Designer LaNorma Huggins-Hopes finds inspiration from her mother’s hometown of Mobile, Alabama – also known as the home of the ‘Original Mardi Gras.’

As a young girl LaNorma was drawn to the festive colors, elaborate masks, and symbols of carnival. Infused with this inspiration, LaNorma created a collection bursting at the seams with vibrant color, magical craftsmanship and a bit of mystery.

Her company Signature Designs by LaNorma, LLC parades colorful gemstones, precious metals, vintage beads, glass and many other fine materials and fuses them into one-of-a-kind pieces to capture each customer’s unique and vibrant personality.

Her first collection naturally showcased the sights and sounds of a Mardi Gras celebration, and her subsequent five collections infuse this inspiration with other elements, most importantly her close relationship with her “Queen of all Crafts” grandmother Maxine Taylor. LaNorma has appeared in NPR Marketplace, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur Blogs, Savor the Success Foundation Vlog, Miss Serendipity Fashion Blog, and Ballston Art and Craft Market Blog and her pieces have been featured in the NY Women in Communications events, Crystal Couture (DC Fashion Week), and Aromatics " Art in Fashion" events in the Washington DC metro area.

LaNorma is changing the way individuals look and feel about beautiful handcrafted accessories with her personal creative touch. She takes joy in seeing how a beautiful piece of jewelry can change one's persona. LaNorma also provides jewelry makeovers (using existing jewelry and creating something new)and designs custom pieces specifically for a person/special occasion.