Designing with the Sky in Mind: Andrea Fohrman on Jewelry, Inspiration, and Balancing Creativity with Life

Some jewelry tells a story the moment you see it—each detail holding a memory, a vision, or a piece of the person who created it. Andrea Fohrman, the Los Angeles–based designer hailed as the “Celestial Queen” by Vogue, has built a career on capturing the beauty of the night sky and the energy of the earth in her fine jewelry. In this conversation with SEAM founder Amy Cohen Epstein, Andrea reflects on the inspirations rooted in her Marin County childhood, her love for one-of-a-kind gemstones, and the ways she’s learned to shape her business around the life she wants to live.

Amy Cohen Epstein:
Okay, well I'm so excited. This is going to be fun. Andrea Fohrman, thank you so much for doing this and for taking the time to chat with me. I know it's always weird to break out in the middle of the day or mid-morning and talk about yourself, but I think this will be fun.

You are very talented and I've gotten to know you a little bit through our mutual friend—my super bestie, Carey—but only in informal settings. The first time I really got to know you was during Carrie's birthday at the height of COVID in Palm Springs. We were in the pool, hanging out, after testing before we came down. It was a little odd, but it was really fun.

I've also been to one of your trunk shows, and I know your jewelry. You give off a vibe that’s inviting, calming, and energetic all at once—it’s a sweet spot, and it comes through in your work. I think your jewelry has been copied but never fully replicated. You’re like the OG of what you do, and it shows.

While most of my interviews are with scientists and researchers in women’s health, I believe deeply in the power of energy and healing. As you know, I started this foundation because my mom died of ovarian cancer. My mom had an intense energy and a glow about her that people still talk about 27 years later. She loved perfume, beautiful bottles, and big jewelry. She was intentional about what she put on her body, even when she was sick—it made her feel a certain way.

As I’ve gotten older, I find jewelry powerful, full of meaning and history—especially stones. I think your energy comes through in your designs and in how you choose your stones. It even feels like the stones choose you. Am I reading too deeply into this? How did this all begin?

Andrea Fohrman:
Thank you for having me on. I love what you’re doing. I listen to podcasts all day while I work—mostly health and wellness ones—because I figure even if I’m not doing it all, I’m thinking about it.

Describing me as calming yet energetic is funny—no one’s called me calm before—but I do like to make people comfortable. I remember that birthday for Carrie during COVID. All we wanted to do was dance, be together, and have fun, even though it was such a strange time.

I was a very energetic child. I played sports, danced, did theater, photography, pottery—anything creative. I didn’t think much about jewelry until college at the University of Arizona, when I spent my junior year in Florence, Italy. I took a metalsmithing class and walked daily past the artisans on the Ponte Vecchio, seeing their new pieces appear in the windows. Looking back, I realize I was always “dripping with jewels” as a kid.

After graduation, I worked as an assistant at Universal Studios. It was busy but creatively unfulfilling. On weekends, I started beading necklaces and bracelets, putting my own twist on trends. Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and Mariah Carey ended up wearing my pieces, which helped get me into L.A. boutiques, and eventually Fred Segal.

I’ve always loved vintage jewelry. My grandmother Florence was into cocktail rings, and I started reworking vintage pendants from flea markets into new designs. Sometimes I’d find lockets with things like a strand of hair inside—strange, but sweet. Jewelry tells a story, and seeing someone fall in love with a piece I’d made was inspiring.

From there, I moved into fine jewelry, recreating my grandmother’s rings. I grew up in Marin County, California, on a mountain with views of the Pacific. I was captivated by the changing skies, fog, rainbows, and stars. My first pendant was a crescent moon inspired by a Victorian piece. That connection to the celestial became my signature.

In L.A., where the uniform is jeans and a T-shirt, I wanted to create fine jewelry that could be worn casually—pieces that reflect my style and personality. I’m also a self-described gemstone junkie. Every year, I go to the Tucson Gem Show, which is where my love of unusual stones began. I’m drawn to them by sight and by feel—I truly believe they carry energy. Some stones ground me; others don’t feel right, so I set them aside.

One of my favorites is chrysocolla—swirls of blues, whites, and black that still amaze me as natural creations of the earth. I enjoy pairing unexpected stones to bring out hidden colors. That creative process keeps me inspired.

When I started, there were only a few fine jewelry designers doing this kind of work—Kathy Waterman was a big influence. The industry has changed drastically. There was no Instagram, and you never sold direct to customers because it competed with retailers. Now it’s highly competitive.

One of my proudest moments was when Vogue Magazine called me the “Celestial Queen of Jewelry.” But fashion is fickle—you can’t copyright the moon—and trends change quickly. Balancing motherhood and business has been challenging. I imagined working from home and designing while raising my kids, but the reality is you can’t give 100% to everything at the same time.

Amy Cohen Epstein:
Exactly. You can’t be fully present for everyone all the time. There’s no perfect answer—you just do your best and set a good example. Longevity in a career comes from loving what you do and being inspired from deep within. That’s why people can copy your designs but not replicate them—they don’t have your original source of inspiration.

Do you look ahead five or ten years, or just keep moving?

Andrea Fohrman:
I keep moving. Our generation may be the last to grow up mostly with stay-at-home moms, but now there are more ways to do both work and family. Still, the mental juggle remains.

Before COVID, I was traveling constantly for shows in Paris and Vegas. During lockdown, with my kids at home, I slowed down and restructured my business to work on my terms. I cut back travel, focused on selling direct to customers, and found my creativity again.

Now, at 51, with my youngest in high school, I’m making health and wellness a priority. I can’t do every self-care trend out there, but I take small, meaningful steps—walking in the morning sun, grounding, sometimes meditating. It’s about finding what works for me.

Amy Cohen Epstein:
I think that’s wellness, too—listening to yourself. This stage of life is a great time to shed what doesn’t serve you and focus on what fills your cup. Your business can still thrive, maybe even more so, when it’s aligned with what truly serves you.

Andrea Fohrman:
Yes. There’s beauty in this stage, even with its intensity. Some days I journal; other days I watch Bravo. Taking the pressure off makes room for real wellness.

Amy Cohen Epstein:
Exactly. Thank you so much—this was open, honest, and inspiring.

Andrea Fohrman:
Thank you.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.