Jill Platner was raised in rural Massachusetts and spent most of her formative years outdoors, soaking up the wonders of nature. She came to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design and found another source of inspiration in the urban chaos and the rich diversity of faces. Jill chanced upon her true calling at Parsons when she took a metalworking class. She immediately felt so at home and in her element that it was no surprise to later discover from her family tree that “Platner” is derived from the Old World name given to a metal plate maker or armorer.

At Home

A true artist whose work and life are inextricably interwoven, Jill has lived for close to 20 years in the SoHo loft that originally served as her atelier. Beneath multiple skylights and surrounded by plants, her worktable is still a focal point, and it is there she conceives of her designs. Two hammocks are slung across the living room, brought back from one of her many surfing trips to Mexico. Her love of sun and sea is one reason her jewelry is strung on the durable tenara thread that resists UV rays and salt water.

At Work

At Jill’s store, opened on Crosby Street in 1999, she can often be found in the downstairs workroom, her dog Mai Mai at her side. There she oversees a small hive of industry and creativity that represents the progress she has made since she sold her thesis collection to Barneys in 1992. What has not changed is the passion that informs every element, the joy of creation and the desire to continually evolve her body of work.