Affordable Designer Jewelry
Written by Katrina Daniel Thursday, July 08 2010
Snapshot: Amber Longo and Tonya Maggio
Italians have long been known as the romantics of the universe, so it comes as no surprise that two young Atlanta women of Italian descent would design and create a jewelry line and call it SOGNO, which means dream in Italian.
The SOGNO line features clean modern jewelry designed for the professional woman who wants a touch of romance and luxury whether she is at a board meeting or picking up the kids from soccer.
Amber Longo and Tonya Maggio give new meaning to the word, overachievers.
Both are young, 36, work full time, and are married with children. Longo has a 16-month-old daughter while Maggio has two boys, 4 and 19 months. 
The women are best friends, and together they have created SOGNO, about which Longo says, “It is a luxury in life to be able to do something that you love. It is a dream come true to be able to make beautiful things for other women and to be able to do it with your best friend.”
Womenetics: Tell us exactly what SOGNO jewelry is.
Amber Longo: SOGNO is a passion of two women: best friends and mothers. We offer an eclectic mix of easy–to–wear, timeless pieces, made of classic materials with a modern feel.
Womenetics: What inspired you two to start this business now?
Longo and Maggio: After many years of friendship, it was the perfect time to start this journey. We both wanted to follow our passions and to escape corporate America so that we had the flexibility to spend more time with our families. And with this tough economy, we wanted to enable women to feel good and look good without the hefty price tag. We wanted to deliver a line with high design and a touch of glamour at an accessible price point.
Womenetics: What roles do you each play in the design of the jewelry and the running of the business? How do you divide duties?
Longo: We have a really strong partnership. Tonya is the creative, and I run the business.
Maggio: I have an advertising and marketing degree from the University of Florida. I started to study art in grade school and continued studies at the college level. I have a strong love for beautiful things: art, interior design, jewelry (obviously), clothes, accessories, and entertaining. I was born a girly-girl and began designing jewelry for family and friends as a way to fulfill my creative passions. I have always had a love for color, fashion, and style. I see beauty all around me.
Longo: I have spent more than 12 years in technology sales, traveling extensively. I grew up in the South, and also have a degree in marketing. My passions are the little things in life: my animals, quality time with family, good friends, wine, and, of course, a good meal. I’ve always loved fashion and beauty (especially beauty products) – I’m a complete junkie! Even as a toddler, I would try to wear my mom’s heels around the house and beg for her lipstick. 
Womenetics: What have you found to be your biggest challenges?
Longo: We have so many creative ideas always on the drawing board that sometimes it’s difficult for us to select which pieces will make it into the spring or fall collections. From a business perspective, we’ve also had to learn to take a lot of risks, many of which are instrumental to success. But they also really forced us to determine if we are prepared for growth.
Womenetics: What have discovered your greatest rewards to be?
Longo: Creating so many wonderful memories and celebrating the many firsts together, as well as looking back and laughing at crazy, stressful times. There have been plenty of those. But we believe that the things we work the hardest at are the most rewarding. We’ve been so blessed with success thus far, which has allowed us to give back to the community and support various other organizations. Closest to our hearts is the SIDS Foundation, for which we designed our Charlie necklace in memory of a close loved one.
Womenetics: Who are your customers? What market are you targeting?
Longo: SOGNO brings the vision of the woman who is impeccably styled but never overdone. Our line appeals to both younger and more mature women who want a design that’s versatile and wearable in various social scenes, so whether it’s a casual lunch with a girlfriend, a day at the office, a weekend getaway at the beach, or a night out on the town, or even on the red carpet, it’s perfect. You can dress our collection up or down, and we create each piece to be season-less, so that you can combine and layer your favorite pieces from past collections.
Womenetics: What have you learned about yourself and your partner during this process?
Longo: We both have learned to take criticism positively and leverage it as a means for improvement. There’s always room to grow. And there is always someone you meet that is better than you at something. So far we’ve really succeeded at marrying our best talents and attributes and taking advantage of other resources and mentors around us. Also, going into business together requires the same respect and dedication you would give a marriage. It’s all about trust and sharing the same goals and values.
Katrina Daniel is an award-winning journalist and broadcast reporter/anchor. She has worked in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, and as a national correspondent for several networks. She commutes between Miami and the Carolinas, writing for magazines and news organizations. She lives with one horse, four dogs, and a cat.
