All of you who have come along on this adventure with me know that this blog has brought me a great deal in a very short time. It has brought me to a place where I am more adventurous, more comfortable in my own skin, more appreciative of my strengths, and (probably most importantly) more accepting of my weaknesses. On Friday this blog will bring me to a place that I never dreamed: face to face with the legendary jewelry designer Kenneth Jay Lane.

Courtesy of Kenneth Jay Lane

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this master’s work, get ready to have your socks knocked off! Mr. Lane, or KJL as many of his fans refer to him, has been designing his own jewelry collection since 1962, and his pieces have been worn by famous (and famously fashionable) women such as Wallis Simpson, (the Duchess of Windsor), Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor. Remember Barbara Bush’s signature three-strand pearl choker. Yep, that was JKL.

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor in KJL necklaces. Photo by Patrick Lichfield, Vogue, 1967

His jewelry is also loved by a new generation of fashionistas as diverse as Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Michelle Obama (yes, it’s a stretch, but I include myself in this category as well) who love is colorful pieces, many of them animal inspired, covered in lacquer or semi-precious stones. And on Friday I will have the rare and exclusive opportunity to meet and interview the legend himself, learning how he followed his passion for fashion and created an amazing career and life out of it. I will be taking notes hoping that I can learn lessons to apply to my own passion-chasing adventure. I will also be spending time in his studio to see if making jewelry is my life’s next passion.

Michelle Obama in vintage Kenneth Jay Lane earrings. Photo by Saul Loeb

I can’t even begin to express how excited I am for this adventure. I am a huge fan. I own several KJL pieces, and love them dearly. Like any good journalist, I have been preparing for the interview of my life intensely.  I have read Mr. Lane’s book (a must read, the pictures are gorgeous and it is a who’s-who of fashion and society), and researched his life.  And you can get in on the action as well. If you have a question you are dying for me to ask Mr. Lane let me know. Leave a comment, email me or tweet me. I will choose a handful and will include the answers in my post.

Tune in next week for my two-part post on the man, and his work. I am filled with butterflies in anticipation of whatever Friday will bring, but one thing is for sure…as he told me himself, via twitter, I will not know what hit me.