Inspiring Women
ISLAND EASE x URBAN EDGE
MEET VENESSA ARIZAGA
Jewelry designer Venessa Arizaga lives between New York and Puerto Rico – and it shows in every thread, charm, and mischievous sparkle of her jewelry. Handmade, heartfelt, and never too serious.
Puerto Rico in her soul, Brooklyn in her stride – Venessa Arizaga is a nomad. After graduating from Parsons in NY, she designed for Carolina Herrera and became design director for Zac Posen, learning the ins and outs of fashion at its most polished. But something in her longed for more joy, more play.
In the quiet between fashion weeks, she’d retreat to her family home in Puerto Rico – making jewelry from shells, beads, and keepsakes she’d collected. Friends began to wear her pieces. Buyers noticed. Orders came. Fast forward to today, she runs her own joyful empire from a bright Brooklyn studio, alongside her husband, two dogs, and a close-knit design team that feels more like family.
Venessa's life is now a vibrant mix of island ease and urban edge. Her story is one of following instincts, riding the waves – and proving that work and play don’t have to live in separate drawers.
Venessa’s creations are pure serotonin in accessory form. Think: candy-coloured beads, tiny tacos, pearls next to pizza slices. Her jewelry is threaded with humour, nostalgia, and a wonderfully unfiltered sense of joy.
Handmade in Brooklyn, each piece carries her signature threading technique and a wink of mischief. Whether it’s a “YES WAY” bracelet, a charm-laced choker, or cufflinks with attitude, these designs aren’t just wearable – they’re mood-lifters.
Her work reminds us: fashion doesn’t have to be serious to be meaningful. In Venessa’s world, sparkle and silliness go hand in hand – and the more personal, the better.
WE ASKED…
THE VISUAL INTERVIEW
FAVORITE PLACE?
Rincon, Puerto Rico – where the sea is always nearby and time slows down. I came here seeking peace from the chaos of New York, and found more than calm — I found inspiration. The textures of nature, the rhythm of the ocean, the way light plays off every surface — it all feeds into my creative process and keeps me grounded.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
The colors of the sky at sunset. Accidental arrangements of clutter. The quiet way an artist works when no one is watching. I’m constantly drawn to things that aren’t trying too hard — the raw, the intuitive, the beautiful in-between moments. That’s where the magic lives for me.
FAVORITE PIECE?
This custom necklace for my son Sunny’s birthday is one of my favorites – each charm is a tiny tribute to what he loves. It reminds me that design is most powerful when it tells a personal story — playful, specific, and full of heart.
YOU BELIEVE IN?
I believe in aliens.
No, just kidding lol? I believe in kindness, love, and compassion — and I try to infuse that into everything I create. My jewelry is made with intention, connection, and a bit of humor. I want someone to look down at their wrist or catch their reflection in a necklace and smile — like a tiny reminder that they’re loved, that life is weird and beautiful, and that it’s okay to feel joy in the little things.
HAPPINESS?
This is happiness — laughter, sunshine, family, and the freedom to create from the heart. As a small business owner who wears many hats (and usually works overtime and weekends), finding time to slow down and be with my family is everything. It’s in those simple, present moments that I feel the most joy — and remember why I do what I do.
THE JEWELRY
