"I like to think of each piece I create as a treasure and a good luck charm, something special you want to keep close to you to reflect upon good times and evoke your fondest memories" — Venessa Arizaga Venessa Arizaga's love of fashion pales only in comparison for travel. From beach vacations growing up with her family to backpacking in the Rocky Mountains, spending summers in the Caribbean with weekend excursions to New York City, Venessa has always sought to discover what's new and always what's in style. After graduating in 2003, the Parsons grad quickly rose within the industry as a designer in Tuleh, then Carolina Herrera and most recently, Design Director at Zac Posen. Venessa was privileged to dress some of the world's most beautiful and accomplished women, from Renee Zellweger, Natalie Portman, Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep to the Queen Rania of Jordan, but, she always dreamed of exploring her own aesthetic, under her own name and creative vision. On a 2007 trip to Puerto Rico, inspired by the natural beauty of the beaches and the relaxed island culture, Venessa began spontaneously hand-making jewelry. Using colorful silk threading to weave seashells, natural stones and a diverse mix of her own charms with luxe chains and settings, Venessa created whimsical statement necklaces, each with a different story. These witty, mixed-media pieces would become the basis of the first collection of Venessa Arizaga jewelry - informed by her love of contrasting materials and a magpie eye for colorful cultural references. Made for women with strong character and a sense of humor, the handmade, bespoke pieces with a modern twist are exotic yet elegant. Bold statement jewelry, chunks chains interwoven with rainbow silk threads, the sea and natural materials such as stones and crystals make for unique, eclectic pieces. Since then, Venessa's line has been picked up by Bergdorf Goodman, Ashley Turen and other specialty boutiques. In May 2010, she took the leap and left Posen to focus full time on her jewelry collection. Since then, she has been featured on Harper's Bazaar and Seventeen as well as in Vogue.
