monica varela: trend-setting jewellery with a caribbean flare

A BENCHMARK FOR DESIGN IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Memories of the Dominican Republic, colors, and creativity are some of the elements that designer Mónica Varela evokes through her jewelry. Her vibrant pieces, characterized by a fusion of organic geometry and rhythm, cross barriers and encapsulate stories that people carry with them wherever they go. With a mission to make each individual who wears her creations feel special and to inspire human connections, Monica Varela has become a reference in her country and now extends to other parts of Latin America. Get to know the intriguing design world of this Caribbean jewelry brand.

all images courtesy of Mónica Varela

TIMELESS PIECES, CONNECTIONS THAT LAST

Mónica Varela’s design is intrinsically related to her interest in interpersonal connections. While her pieces have a modern and timeless aesthetic, the story behind each stroke is based on deep meanings that transcend time. A key element in her design is the Huritá sphere, a beautiful piece that hides a world inside. 

The Huritá sphere is constantly repeated in Monica’s designs, characterizing both the gestures of geometric abstraction that stand out in the collections, as well as, the deep metaphorical meaning that each piece evokes. The inspiration behind this element is the microscopic photography of Rob Kesseler. In his images, the photographer captures objects from nature, particularly seeds, which when viewed through his lens reveal intricate details, geometric patterns, and colors that the human eye would be unable to perceive.

a key element in the design is the Huritá sphere, a beautiful piece that hides a world within it

In a parallel way, Mónica Varela breaks the perfect geometry of the Huritá sphere showing colors and textures in its interior. These elements are the designer’s stamp that alludes to interpersonal learning, the seeds planted by each person we meet. ‘When we see a person, the first thing we observe is their physique, their appearance, or the impression they give us. When we get to know them in-depth, we discover that each person has an inner world, a weight they carry and lessons they leave on their path through life,’ says the designer. Inadvertently, the wearers of these pieces carry encapsulated stories that Mónica Varela impregnates in each collection through her intuition and professional preparation.

innovation AND IDENTITY, TECHNOLOGY AND THE HUMAN TOUCH

Mónica Varela’s design is enriched with dichotomies that define different aspects of her brand identity. While her technical training led her to professionalize in different countries, her sense of belonging to the Dominican Republic stands out through her choice of materials and color palette. 

Larimar, amber, and moonstone are the three stones that star in the designer’s creations. Their use does not correspond to a random choice but to the revalorization of unique and distinctive elements of the Caribbean island. Monica explains that she grew up surrounded by souvenirs that tourists bought made with these stones, but she rarely saw them incorporated into contemporary jewelry. Upon returning from her studies abroad, the designer recalls observing the vast turquoise sea surrounding her home, automatically associating it with the multidimensional blue of larimar – a stone found only in the Dominican Republic.

larimar, amber, and moonstone are the three stones that star in the designer’s creations

Monica shared with designboom that using larimar stone became ‘a responsibility to turn it into something much more patriotic and something we can all say: ‘Yes, that’s mine and I’m proud of it!’’. In harmony with the Dominican Republic’s amber and moonstone variants — which also stand out for their uniqueness compared to other places in the world — these materials make up the iconic trifecta that frame her designs and reflect aspects of the sea, land, and sky. At the same time, this combination of colors produced by the stones evokes the emotive landscape of the Las Terrenas beach.

the designer associates the vast turquoise sea that surrounds her home with the multidimensional blue of larimar

In the same way that Monica Varela revalues local materials in her internationally acclaimed designs, the use of technology is combined with the value of the human touch. Despite producing each piece through meticulous technical processes, the collections encompass an intrinsic emotional factor interrelated to various stages of the designer’s life. One example is the Falié collection, printed in 3D with a high-tech aesthetic that reflects the designer’s passage through different design capitals during her technical studies. Subsequently, some pieces go hand in hand with important relationships and experiences; until the very day of her wedding, with which a unique bridal collection is born, but with her distinctive style.

the collections include an intrinsic emotional factor that is related to various stages in the designer’s life

Each point in the process of the Dominican brand, from the conception of the design to its distribution, transmits a connection that evokes a sense of belonging. People who wear Monica Varela’s jewelry become part of this universe of encapsulated stories, which are also framed in the designer’s exclusive creations. Monica’s work philosophy, “if it already exists, I’m not interested in making it,” ensures that each piece has uniqueness in its envelope and a mystery to discover inside.

people who wear Mónica Varela’s jewelry become part of this universe

each piece has uniqueness in its envelope and a mystery to be discovered in its interior