Who we are

        Lola Okoniewski, owner of Sugar & Lola, started making jewelry on a part time basis in 2005. Lola has always been drawn to the creative process. From an early age, she loved working with her hands (she took a crochet class when she was 10 just for fun!) and using beautiful materials to create beautiful things. She was always fascinated by various crafting materials/tools and thoroughly enjoyed learning new skills. It was this curiosity that would unknowingly lead her to founding Sugar & Lola as a full time pursuit. After a life shifting divorce, Lola decided to give jewelry a shot as a full time endeavor to earn a living and pay for her kids to attend college. With the steadfast emotional support of her best friend Marian Hoffman, Lola took the leap and started making and selling jewelry. Fun fact: The brand’s name is a nod to Sugar, Lola’s childhood dog, in combination with her own nickname! 

       Growing up in Cocoa Beach, FL, Lola was constantly surrounded by nature and water. It was here that she developed a passion for natural elements, which she often incorporates into her handcrafted jewelry lines. Life by the water was simple, and relaxed... two more factors that can be seen throughout her jewelry collections. Lola is also a big believer in options—and when it comes to jewelry, a girl, (or boy!) can never have to many, right? So, at Sugar & Lola, we always aim to source and create one-of-a-kind pieces that can be worn in multiple ways and are easily mixed & matched so you never get tired of wearing them (We can’t promise you won’t keep coming back to buy more though…).

      During the Christmas season of 2020, the COO of Sugar & Lola, Joelle Patton, joined the company. What was supposed to be a short-term holiday position working for Lola, has since blossomed into a lifelong bond and partnership. Bonding over their love for design, and making beautiful things, Joelle has made an excellent addition to the S&L team (helping with the organizational aspects that Lola doesn’t love so much too... *wink wink*). 2020 was also the year Sugar & Lola added permanent jewelry—a very meaningful in-store experience where customers get to choose a chain, add charms and have a custom fitted piece of jewelry welded onto them—to its lineup. Sugar & Lola was the first company to offer permanent jewelry in South Carolina… once again proving our commitment to staying on trend!

                                                                     Love, The Sugar & Lola Team