In a showroom in Irvine, behind a plain door in a vanilla office park, the Cookie sisterhood is going gaga.

The creator of the eponymous line of costume jewelry that is sold in a growing number of living rooms across the country is making a surprise appearance.

Cookie Lee - black and white and pink all over, and shimmering with 12 bracelets on her right wrist alone - is greeted like a rock star as she walks into the showroom, where sales consultants stock up on her latest creations.