Designer Emiko is a complicated girl: she is half Japanese, half Australian, but grew up in China and then went on to art school in the US, majoring in printmaking at Rhode Island School of Design. She now resides in Florence, Italy, where she creates a simple, feminine jewelry line called Sorellina that we just love.

Tell us a little about yourself and your work. I live in Italy with my handsome Italian hubby and my very silly cat, Nino. By training I'm a bookbinder, photographer, printmaker, draftswoman, and paper conservator. But at night I masquerade as a jewelry designer. I love making anything, as long as I can remember I've made jewelry, sculptures, drawings, photographs, books, scarves, you name it. My jewelry designs are simple and feminine, and I like to think playful.

How did you get started as a designer? Well, my jewelry designing started when I was about eight years old and I discovered fimo. I used to make tiny little figurines and animals and make them into earrings which I sold at local school fairs. Amazingly, that didn't take off enough for me to quit elementary school. Later I did my undergrad at RISD, where I was submerged in a sea of amazingly talented artists and designers -- a great environment to grow in and be inspired to create as much as possible. Sorellina really began as a hobby -- a passion for pretty things and for making things.

What inspires your work? Simplicity is a key. I also look to the past -- I live in a city that still breathes its Renaissance past so much that it can't seem to get out of it and into the modern day (Florence). The beauty of that is that it's enormously inspiring. I love putting old things back together again. I love vintage finds, old black and white movies, black and white photographs and times when women always wore hats if they left the house.

Who are your favorite designers? You can't go wrong with the Italians in this department: Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Ferragamo ... but I also love the structure of Issey Miyake, the romance of Collete Dinnigan and the colours of Lanvin.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? Lucas' Pawpaw ointment lip balm (Australians will know what I'm talking about!), Shu Uemura blush and my wedding ring, designed by a young London jewelry designer, Milla Mee.

Any advice you would give to aspiring designers? Often the thing you want to do most is sitting right there under your nose and fear or laziness makes it so easy to put off doing. Sometimes you need just a little push in the right direction, and if you're not sure where that is that's when you need to follow your heart. It always knows best.

Where can people find your work? In Florence (Italy) at markets and studio sales, or online at Etsy: http://sorellina.etsy.com

We love all of the amazing independent designers out there and we wanted to find out more about what makes these creative types tick. If you do too, check out more of our Indie Designer Interviews.