Venessa Arizaga’s love of jewelry grew from her passion for travel. Splitting her time between New York City and her father’s birthplace, the island of Puerto Rico, the contemporary jewelry designer draws inspiration from the duality of these cultures. While both locations are very different, Venessa loves the energy created in both settings; one bustling urban metropolis is balanced by the vitality of the ocean combined with the mellow comfort of the beach. With this lifestyle in mind, Venessa Arizaga has a distinct lens with which to steer her jewelry design. After graduating from Parsons in 2003, Venessa began her career as a designer at Tuleh. In 2006 Venessa then achieved a longtime goal when she started as Designer under her design idol, Carolina Herrera, she then eventually landed at Zac Posen, taking the lead as his Design Director. With this amazing experience, Venessa not only gained valuable exposure in design, merchandizing, and styling, but she also had the privilege of dressing some of the world’s most accomplished women in the entertainment industry. That said she still dreamed of exploring her own aesthetic, under her own name and vision, and she finally felt armed to do so. On a 2008 trip to Puerto Rico, moved by the natural beauty of the beaches and relaxed island culture Venessa was inspired to start hand-making jewelry from the items she found around her. Using colorful silk threading to weave seashells, natural stones and a mix of her own charms, Venessa created whimsical statement necklaces, each with its own story representing a special moment or event in her life. These witty, mixed media pieces were the impetus to Venessa’s contemporary jewelry brand and the basis for her first full collection, Venessa Arizaga, which she debuted in 2010. Venessa creates bespoke pieces for the woman with a chic, yet playful sense of style. Capturing the unique duality of her jet setting lifestyle, Venessa’s collection has a modern urban aesthetic with an exotic island twist, offering versatile designs that complete any look. In 2014, Venessa effortlessly launched her first men’s collection, which complements the women’s jewelry perfectly. Arizaga Mens captures a laidback sensibility. The debut collection is inspired by a mix of beach and street culture, yet the pieces still demonstrate a sophisticated edginess that is unique in the world of men’s accessories.
