Obituary: Verdura’s Donna Sturm, 67
Related stories
With New Funding, Jewelry Brand Mejuri Aims to Expand
Alison Lou Grows Brand With Costume Jewelry, Custom Orders
Atelier Swarovski Sparkles in Milan
Donna Sturm, Verdura’s manager for design and product development, died on May 4 at age 67.
The cause of death, according to the company, was a traumatic brain injury incurred on April 24 – the result of being hit by a bicycle while crossing 57th Street on her lunch break.
Sturm spent two decades at Verdura, bringing collections and product assortment to life. Before Verdura, Sturm worked as a bench jeweler for Tiffany & Co.
“Donna was a rare talent and deeply loved, both in the jewelry industry at large and within our close-knit Verdura family. She had a wonderful eye and a tremendous skill for finding unusual materials and bringing them to life,” said Nico Landrigan, president of Verdura and Belperron.
Sturm is survived by her husband Ted Panken, daughter Angelina, mother Joanna DeLuca and sister Bettina Sturm. The family will hold a memorial service at the UN Church Center on June 16 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
