ita ▁Rost ag no ▁( born ▁December ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 6 3 ) ▁is ▁an ▁Italian - American ▁j ew el ry ▁designer ▁based ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁Born ▁December ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁in ▁Florence , ▁Italy , ▁I pp ol ita ▁Rost ag no ▁is ▁the ▁daughter ▁of ▁an ▁American ▁artist ▁and ▁an ▁Italian ▁intellectual . ▁ ▁R ais ed ▁and ▁educated ▁in ▁the ▁hills ▁of ▁T usc any , ▁I pp ol ita ▁attended ▁elementary ▁school ▁in ▁a ▁one - room ▁medieval ▁school house ▁and ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁study ▁sculpt ure ▁and ▁ear n ▁her ▁b ac cal aur é at ▁degree ▁from ▁the ▁Ist ituto ▁D ’ Ar te ▁in ▁Florence . ▁ ▁I pp ol ita ▁imm igr ated ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 8 , ▁moving ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁where ▁she ▁continued ▁her ▁studies ▁at ▁Occ ident al ▁College ▁and ▁founded ▁an ▁alternative ▁poetry ▁and ▁dance ▁company ▁called ▁R ime ▁together ▁with ▁Anna ▁St ump ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 . ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁her ▁B A ▁in ▁English ▁Liter ature , ▁I pp ol ita ▁moved ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁and ▁married ▁a ▁fashion ▁photograph er ▁and ▁gave ▁birth ▁to ▁her ▁daughter ▁May a ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁Career ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁I pp ol ita ▁founded ▁the ▁j ew el ry ▁brand ▁I pp