Best known for her iconic designs for popular jeweler Tiffany & Co., the French-Spanish Paloma began dabbling in fashion as a costume designer, making rhinestone necklaces from flea market finds in Paris. Critics loved her early work, and this encouraged her to formally undergo jewelry design courses, although she had already finished from the Universite de Paris at Nanterre. The famed fashion designer, Yves Saint Laurent, was charmed by Paloma's designs and commissioned her for his clothing line. In 1971, Paloma had started working for Zolotas, a Greek jewelry company and in 1980, had entered Tiffany & Co.
Paloma's creativity and bold choices were a hit, and in 1984, she branched out to fragrances, starting with “Paloma,” a perfume for cosmetics giant, L'Oreal. This launched her career in perfumes, where she also came up with bath and body products such as lotions, shower gels, soaps and powders. Because of her one-of-a-kind creations and her ingenuity and vision in jewelry, Paloma's kunzite necklace was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Art History, and a moonstone bracelet created by her can be found at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
The Paloma Picasso signature is fiery red, as Paloma's use of red lipstick has become her “calling card”. She continues to design for Tiffany's, and has become one of the most sought-after names in the industry, as well as a socialite and popular style icon.