Currently Coveting: Venessa Arizaga’s Festive jewelry

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The wardrobe surrounding summertime travels and events (think warm Sunday afternoon barbecues, outdoor dinner parties in bare feet and long weekends outside of the city) doesn’t call for cumbersome statement jewelry, but it’s still enjoyable to punctuate a long simple dress or tissue-thin T-shirt and cutoffs with an accessory or two that brings life to a look, without seeming too weighty.

Enter Venessa Arizaga, a designer who creates the most whimsical, festive and even a bit wacky collection of jewelry. Her Piñata bracelet and necklace caught my eye, for the explosive color, texture and random little charms including lucha libre masks, pigs and skulls that hang off neon pink cord and silver chain. Her Locust Dancing necklace incorporates primary-colored beads and religious charms onto a gold chain, which has a slightly earthier appeal, but still stands out for the varying sizes and shapes to each charm.

Arizaga, a graduate of Parsons School of Design as well as a former designer for Tuleh, Carolina Herrera and most recently design director at Zac Posen, became inspired to start tinkering with jewelry during a trip to Puerto Rico in 2007. It was there that she was drawn to the vibrant colors found in nature and began stringing personal charms, shells and beads onto colorful silk, for a result that feels organic and laid-back, but full of contrasts and quirky details.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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