Today we’d like to introduce you to Vanessa Arcila.
Vanessa, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started my jewelry company when I was 21 years old, thanks to a book I got at the MET museum of art in New York. In the beginning, I started selling my jewelry to my family, then to my friends and a couple of months later inside concept stores and jewelry stores in Colombia. I was very young when I started designing jewelry but I had a vision of having my designs around the world.
I’ve always said that if you feel passion for what you do, you will go far and you start projecting your life, attracting the right people who can help you achieve your goals and when I was 24 years old I met the president of Fedesmeraldas ( National Federation of Emeralds) and bought some emeralds from them. I started designing jewelry with emeralds and sent pictures to them of everything I was doing, weeks later got a phone call from them telling me that I was innovating the jewelry industry of Colombia with my designs and I was rescuing the Colombian culture and tradition in a different way.
I still remember that day like it was yesterday, I was very happy because that day, they invited me to showcase my jewelry collection during fashion week in Colombia inside VOGUE talents corner which is a space where a curated selection of the best designers of Colombia present their collections sponsored by Vogue magazine. It was a dream come true to me being part of this group of people because vogue to me is one of the top magazines in fashion.
During fashion week I talked to the president of Fedesmeraldas and he said that he wanted me to be the emerald ambassador of the Colombian emerald worldwide, keeping the tradition of buying emeralds alive, I accepted this position and moved forward with enthusiasm. At that time I was breaking up with my ex, who would constantly devalued me saying bad things to me, after the break up I realized that you gotta let go of things that are toxic to you in order to receive new things that are aligned with your passion and purpose in life. When you let go of people who don’t trust in you, you give space, so the right people come your way.
I started traveling to different countries like Hong Kong, France, Spain, Panama among others to showcase my collections at jewelry fairs or pop-ups and expanding my brand. My closet was literally my suitcase because I was traveling most of the time until I decided to move to Miami two years ago. I chose Miami to live because is the port of entry of Latin America or as I always say “the capital of Latin America” and wanted to live in front of the ocean. I met the love of my life in Miami and I keep working hard to make people conscious about the importance of tradition and culture through my jewelry design and also empowering women to believe in themselves.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When you start your venture at a young age, you face a lot of challenges because you learn from the experience. I went on bankruptcy at the age of 23 because all the money I was making I would spend it, in clothes, fancy dinners, traveling, etc. Instead of investing that money in my brand. I had to start from the beginning again but this Time being aware and smarter in my finances.
When you are starting your company a lot of people would say no to your product, I remember when I used to send my press kit to different local newspapers or magazines and they wouldn’t answer or reject my press kit and I would only have an answer from vogue magazine asking for more information to feature my product. Then I realized that you can’t never feel bad for the rejections you face because the people who are going to say yes to you are the people who really matter.
Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from the competition?
I bring the best in my country Colombia around the world and empower women to believe in themselves. I am a jewelry designer who works with artisans from Colombia rescuing pre-Colombian art, giving our design a modern touch. I am the ambassador of the Colombian emerald worldwide keeping the tradition of buying Colombian emeralds alive. Whats sets me apart from others is the fact that my jewelry is an extension of my soul. The inspiration of my jewelry is the connection that we have with God and the universe.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love everything about this city especially the beach. I love the beach, it’s the perfect place to relax, and let go of things. I live in the perfect city, I live where others vacation. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vanessaarcila.com
- Phone: 7542098561
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taocompany_jewelry/
Image Credit:
profile picture: junior rojas
editorial pictures:
stylist: Pangea kali
photography: Wayne Francis
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