Dorian Webb, Founder and Designer

Growing up on the edge of the Pine Barrens in south Jersey, designer Dorian Webb always thought that creating something would be her profession. Her parents who were not keen on having their daughter lay idle on the couch on Saturdays, were not dissuaded when piano, horseback riding, tennis and dance lessons failed to ignite interest or latent talent. Now, Dorian is one of the west coast’s leading designers and entrepreneurs, with awards commemorating her design skills and community advocacy.

While studying abroad in Florence, Italy as an architecture student at Yale University, Dorian fell in love with the process of making Venetian glass beads. To her, these colorful, gilded orbs represented all that she loved about her time in Italy: the strong connection to local community and ancestral heritage and the unfailing belief that whatever profession you choose, your work can reflect your ideals in process and outcome. This has become Dorian Webb’s trademark—a signature style that incorporates traditional techniques, bold silhouettes, sophisticated color palettes, dynamic compositions and subtle textures combined to foster connection.

After graduation, Dorian participated at a trade show in New York. When Neiman Marcus purchased the entire collection, and Essence magazine borrowed a pair of earrings for its cover, Dorian’s career as a jewelry designer officially began. Winning the show’s Artisans Award for her work was evidence that even early on, her peers acknowledged her expert craftmanship.

Sales to other major department stores across the US quickly followed, which led Dorian to expand into housewares and lighting.  While her company often designed private label glassware for retailers, Dorian’s chandeliers were front and center in a 7 year traveling museum and gallery exhibition, featuring African American polyrhythmic art.

After the recession, Dorian closed her business and moved to Oakland, CA to begin teaching low-income women how to start their own businesses. While a board member for several local nonprofits including the Museum of the African Diaspora, and having created forums where minority businesswomen could network and sell their work, Dorian received the Madam CJ Walker Award for her entrepreneurial skills and community building efforts. With that success, Dorian relaunched Dorian Webb Lifestyle in 2019.

In 2021, Dorian was a finalist in the Next Now jewelry design competition. That same year, she was selected as one of six designers nationwide to participate in the Emerging Designer Diamond Initiative, sponsored by the Natural Diamond Council to identify design talent and diversify the diamond industry.

Now, Dorian Webb creates intentional jewelry that celebrates women and  African American culture and brings awareness to social justice issues and organizations. With a belief that beauty and a sense of connection have societal impact, Dorian  creates pieces that unapologetically mark our collective and individual presence while fostering conversation and greater mutual understanding.

When she is not designing, Dorian can be found happily sampling the best sweet treats the Bay Area has to offer, or walking the trails of the Oakland hills with her husband, greeting neighbors' dogs along the way.

To learn more about Dorian's design philosophy, please go to Behind the Design.