“Today, more than ever, I am so proud of being Venezuelan.” Spend a few minutes with jewelry designer Mónica Sordo, 42, and her passion for her culture comes through. “We are currently in a historic fight to gain our freedom back,“ she said of the political situation in the country.
Sordo now calls New York City home but she gratefully considers herself an “ambassador” for her homeland. Born in Caracas, a Latin American hub of modernism, a city she deems “lush, with a warm heart.” As a teenager her family moved to Puerto La Cruz, home to a national park and on the coast from several islands. “This was our backyard, our playground, the biodiversity of this region is fascinating and has had a big impact in my designs,” she said.
Case in point her Cubagua collection, which was born out of research she did about history of the island of the same name. Legend has it, the native people of the island adorned themselves with all sorts of jewelry pieces using the shell of a pearl oyster. Sordo’s collection in 24-karat gold and brass is a reinterpretation of this moment in history using her “imagination” and creativity to create her take on a baroque Caribbean pearl.
As a child her father was a huge influence, “a true inspiration for me, a real innovator and a mentor in all things manufacturing, discipline and patience.” She left at an early age to study abroad, landing in Milan, an “incredible” and “magical” experience.” She got to see legendary Italian designers up close on their day-to-day lives. “Giorgio Armani always at his flagship store, working on the window display. Donatella walking up and down Via Monte Napoleone.”
Next she has stints in media Spain and in NYC working at Christian Louboutin. “Working in media and later in PR in NYC were my biggest schools,” she said. “Still today our PR structure is based on what I learn during my time.”
Succeeding New York City, she reflected, was hard fought, with issues finding a full-time job that would secure her legal status, “despite of my talent, passion and hard work.” It was out of this necessity her jewelry line was born, leading her back to Venezuela where her family helped ignite her creative spirt.
Mónica Sordo’s Cubagua collection campaign.
Courtesy Mónica Sordo
The beginning she recalled felt like a sixth sense, “an intuitive and organic research of my own language,” starting with small sculptures, becoming wearable objects, “It was never really planned.” Next a trip to Lima, Peru, that became “a long but life-changing journey looking for the masters that will craft my designs into reality. Over time she said they became mentors, too.
I feel my heart is rooted in Venezuela no matter where I am.”
Mónica Sordo
“I feel my heart is rooted in Venezuela no matter where I am,“ she said, now living back in New York. “And I hope they get to exist beyond this moment in time for generations to come.“ She feels connected to other creatives from her homeland who have also emigrated, “Our bond goes beyond our physical location. Together we are greater than the sum of us individually amplifying voices and resources,” she said.
“Community. Community. Community,” she said when asked of advice she would give to young talents today. “We have come to understand that we are all one.” She then added nuance to the idea of identity: “It is sharpened by so many aspects that are personal to each of us. We don’t need to connect with absolutely every layer of what is believed or expected from being Latin, instead we need to connect and create from that uniqueness within each of us.”
Social responsibility is another key part of her brand DNA, particularly to the Peruvian artisans her craft her pieces, a testament, she says, to the country’s rich cultural heritage and talent. “From vibrant textiles and intricate ceramics to exquisite wood carvings and silver jewelry, each piece tells a story and reflects the beauty of Peru’s diverse pre-Columbian traditions,” she explained, making her ideas “possible.” To her it is a collaboration with the masters and artisans who create her jewelry broadening “the dialogue that brings value and depth to the creative journey.”
She remains committed to prioritizing respect and solidarity to those who use ancestral techniques and ancient traditions to carve her ideas to life.
Her brand has grown since those early days, today she can be found boutiques across the globe including Sherri McMullen, The Webster and Marissa Collections in the U.S. She became member of the CFDA in 2015, a special moment for Sordo and her brand as a “recognition of our trajectory and our contribution as a Latin brand to the American fashion industry.”
Pausing for a bit, she thought on her work and its link to her homeland. “My creativity and soul are nourished by a tangible and ever-changing discovery of a region gifted with abundant heritage.”
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, WWD chose 10 Latino designers who are shaping the world of fashion today to photograph and profile. The images from this series will be featured in a national billboard campaign run by Outfront.
