“A goal is just a dream without a deadline.”

There was never a moment that Emilie Shapiro didn't consider herself an artist. "Before I could speak I expressed myself through what I made with my hands," she says. "I am so incredibly lucky that my parents allowed me to pursue life on the path I chose." That path led to a line of jewelry comprised entirely of one-of-a-kind pieces she crafts by combining her metalsmithing skills with her love of found objects. "I have a massive stone collection that I started when I was two," says the New York City resident. "I usually pull out my drawers of gems and minerals and something catches my eye that I haven't seen before or forgot about." When Emilie creates a piece, she says she imagines the wearer seeing a reflection of themselves in it—“beauty in imperfection."