She was born in Florence, Italy, the daughter of a well-to-do Roman family. Educated at Volbicela School in Rome, with a diploma in interior design. She moved to New York in the 1960s, where she began designing jewelry for a handful of top designers, including Halston, Oscar De La Renta, Giorgio di Sant'Angelo and Tiffany. She designed the containers for Halston's fragrance and cosmetic lines, and many of Tiffany's best-selling items.