Venessa rummaging through CJS: Crafts, Jewelry, Supplies (Vintage Warehouse)
SO. AMAZING.
All. Gold. Everything. 
Patricia digs for buried treasures 
The Top Secret Warehouse Where Venessa Arizaga Finds Inspiration
The mission: to find inspiration pieces for VENESSA ARIZAGA's Fall/Winter 2014 collection. The destination: CJS, a wholesale vintage jewelry warehouse in New York's garment district, whose owners' only requirement for entry is that you know what the hell you're doing (and "wholesale to the trade only!").
Looking at the place, however, "open sesame" seems like a more appropriate password. Gold chains drip from the walls, glittering beads spill out of boxes stacked in heaping mounds, and in some rooms you actually have to walk over a crunchy carpet of metal trinkets, rings, and more that have spilled onto the floor. The whole place was separated into rooms, with one of the best being the metal rooms, which looked like scenes from Aladdin.
Venessa has been frequenting this bejeweled spot for around five years to find unique pieces for her collections. "It's amazing what you can find here," she said, referring to CJS's massive collection of vintage Swarovski stones (Venessa's favorite) or the bundles of plastic pieces from former West Germany. "You can find things that are a hundred years old." In addition to this wonderland of vintage, Venessa sources materials from all over the globe: the ceramic charms are custom-made for her in Mexico and Peru, while her chains come from Massachusetts. Although she does pick up bulk jewels to use in her collections, not everything will make it into production. She said of some pieces she found, "I'm not going to do anything with this but it's cool for inspiration, to see the mix of textures and the things they would produce in the 70s. Even when you don't have a direction, it's good to come here and find color, shapes, or different metals."
So what's happening in the upcoming seasons? Venessa's decided to change it up a bit: "I've done years of bright, fun colors, and I wanted to do a neutral palette. My goal is to stay strict and create a neutral-toned world, while still incorporating charms, crochet, and sewing. And it's about creating the perfect price point for gifts." Her creative director Patricia Hermogenes, a recent Parsons graduate, has a similar mindset which will help keep Venessa to her word. When asked about her aesthetic, Patricia said, "I want to make sure I design things that people can wear everyday. Simple, not over the top." An admirable goal, given how hard it is not overdose on the amazing, vintage pieces in the labyrinth of CJS stock.
Shop all Venessa Arizaga HERE.
Photos by James Parker III.
FILED UNDER: VENESSA ARIZAGA , PATRICIA HERMOGENES ,CJS , STUDIO VISIT , JAMES PARKER
Looking at the place, however, "open sesame" seems like a more appropriate password. Gold chains drip from the walls, glittering beads spill out of boxes stacked in heaping mounds, and in some rooms you actually have to walk over a crunchy carpet of metal trinkets, rings, and more that have spilled onto the floor. The whole place was separated into rooms, with one of the best being the metal rooms, which looked like scenes from Aladdin.
Venessa has been frequenting this bejeweled spot for around five years to find unique pieces for her collections. "It's amazing what you can find here," she said, referring to CJS's massive collection of vintage Swarovski stones (Venessa's favorite) or the bundles of plastic pieces from former West Germany. "You can find things that are a hundred years old." In addition to this wonderland of vintage, Venessa sources materials from all over the globe: the ceramic charms are custom-made for her in Mexico and Peru, while her chains come from Massachusetts. Although she does pick up bulk jewels to use in her collections, not everything will make it into production. She said of some pieces she found, "I'm not going to do anything with this but it's cool for inspiration, to see the mix of textures and the things they would produce in the 70s. Even when you don't have a direction, it's good to come here and find color, shapes, or different metals."
So what's happening in the upcoming seasons? Venessa's decided to change it up a bit: "I've done years of bright, fun colors, and I wanted to do a neutral palette. My goal is to stay strict and create a neutral-toned world, while still incorporating charms, crochet, and sewing. And it's about creating the perfect price point for gifts." Her creative director Patricia Hermogenes, a recent Parsons graduate, has a similar mindset which will help keep Venessa to her word. When asked about her aesthetic, Patricia said, "I want to make sure I design things that people can wear everyday. Simple, not over the top." An admirable goal, given how hard it is not overdose on the amazing, vintage pieces in the labyrinth of CJS stock.
Shop all Venessa Arizaga HERE.
Photos by James Parker III.
FILED UNDER: VENESSA ARIZAGA , PATRICIA HERMOGENES ,CJS , STUDIO VISIT , JAMES PARKER
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