Valeria Silva de Nieto OF VALENA

TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF AND HOW VALENA WAS BORN AS A SUSTAINABLE BRAND?

My name is Valeria Silva de Nieto and I am in love with fashion and culture. I was born and raised in El Salvador and lived there until I left to attend college in the USA where I got a bachelor’s degree in Fashion merchandising and then a Masters in Milan, Italy in Luxury Brand Management.

I created Valena in 2016 alongside my mother, Carmen Elena de Silva, out of our mutual fascination with Salvadoran crafts and the idea of designing handbags as flawless as their artisanal wood work, rattan furniture, woven baskets and hammocks. With a conscious mindset and inspired by love for our culture, the soul of Valena became El Salvador.

Our products are handcrafted by independent artisans in the city of Santa Ana and Nahuizalco using traditional techniques and high quality materials that have little to no impact on our people and world. With the cosmopolitan woman in mind, we are committed to creating minimalistic timeless pieces that will transcend the seasons by combining the right amount of folklore with contemporary design. 

What is a stand out moment in shaping your brand?

Honestly, a stand out moment for me is when a customer reaches out after purchasing a bag to tell me how much they loved it. It makes me so happy and it inspires me to keep going.

What designs or creative work has you excited right now?

Right now I am very excited in particular for our Fall 2019 Collection. I love everything about it; the materials and colors we used, I want them all!

What excites you about the year ahead?

I am mostly looking forward to the journey; Valena is after all a journey both professional and personal for me and I can’t wait to see where all of it will take us.

Describe yourself and your designs to us?

I am an outright romantic with an aspiring love for minimalism, yet I am not quite the minimalist. I live in Maryland with my husband and dogs, and my favourite thing to do is spend the weekends with them cuddled up in bed or road tripping someplace sunny.

My designs are a reflection of my country El Salvador; a mix of traditional Salvadoran craftsmanship with contemporary design. I like to think of them as being effortlessly chic, go to bags that can be worn all year long.

What do you love to do most to recharge?

My favourite thing in the world when I need a recharge is a bubble bath; accompanied by a warm cup of tea, Bossa Nova music in the background, and a coconut - lime scented candle. Sometimes sitting back, being mindful and taking a moment for yourself is exactly what you need.

What advice do you have for emerging designers?

I would tell them what I tell myself - to focus on their own brand and stop looking at what the competition is doing.

Sometimes you can get lost and loose hope when seeing someone else’s work being featured everywhere and thinking why yours isn’t, when in reality everything takes time, work and dedication.

So stop worrying, be persistent, and always trust that your brand has the potential to reach the future you envisioned for it.