Women's
Emily Armenta Finds ‘Duende’ Through Jewelry
“Designing jewelry is in my blood, and has been a vehicle to express my creativity, thoughts and emotions,” says Emily Armenta. The Texas based jewelry designer uses an intricately woven mix of materials, precious metals and unique gemstones to tell a specific story. The handcrafted, custom quality transmits Armenta’s powerful and kind message of embracing change. This unique voice and spirit define her signature look – striking, feminine designs expressing the romantic passion in Spanish poetry.
Armenta is captivated by Spanish poet Federico García Lorca’s idea of duende, a hard-to-translate word that Lorca helped define, and that is applied to artists and performers in a heightened state of expression. According to Lorca, “duende is a power and not a behavior; it is the struggle that one must endure to create something of greatness.”
Armenta pushed boundaries to create breakthrough designs like the Midnight Collection (dark oxidized silver, gleaming gold and diamonds or gemstones). For added craftsmanship, Armenta mixes her own gold to acquire her signature color.
“After hours and hours of work on each piece, finally, there are those moments when we know—not from our thoughts but from the duende that climbs inside… from the soles of the feet—that what we are creating is magical,” says Armenta.
Shop Armenta at NeimanMarcus.com or select Neiman Marcus stores. Earn InCircle bonus points during the Be Jeweled Event!
