Her third daughter Nina, inspired her to create her first piece of jewelry. Raquel Garcia was looking for a symbol of her daughter’s autism to wear as a show of love and support. “I created a necklace with a puzzle piece, the universal sign for autism. ” Friends and family loved the creation and wanted their own. Raquel is also an accomplished interior designer attributing her love for design to her father who had an intense love of art and culture. She was able to bring this creative enthusiasm to her jewelry design. 
Raquel’s design process is personalized and custom for each client. “One of my strengths as a designer is to find artisans who make unique pieces of furniture and accessories rather than source for my clients from the usual vendor’s.” Raquel works to visually articulate what her clients are expressing as the aesthetic they want in their homes. When asked what her favorite design project was, she points to a home on the water that became the cover shot for Fairfield Magazine, March / April 2013 issue.
Raquel wanted to use that personalized custom principal in her jewelry designs. She started by sourcing materials. “I have been very lucky to meet accomplished jewelers in the jewelry district in New York City. One person in particular can interpret my designs perfectly .” Using 14 karat rose gold for the puzzle piece, she officially became a jewelry designer two years ago. Each piece is handmade using waxed cotton cord, pave diamonds, oxidized sterling silver and 18 or 22 karat gold. Raquel says, “I create my jewelry to evoke peace from within and empower the soul of the person wearing it. ”
A relationship with a local design store, Dovecote in Westport and it’s owner Sarah Kaplan, gave Raquel her first retail exposure with her jewelry creations. “Sarah has added a jewel box of a space connected to her shop. When she saw the things I created and wore myself, she asked me to place some pieces in the new jewelry space. ” Raquel also has other designs including horns and crosses and is coming out with new collections that will be available soon.
Her exercise regimen then helped her branch out even more. Raquel loves the Tracy Anderson Method and frequently exercises in the New York City studio. When Tracy saw her necklaces, she wanted them for herself. This relationship exposed her jewelry designs to high profile celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kim Kardashian and Sally Pressman. Raquel is currently working on an inspirational word disc for Christy Turlington’s fundraiser, Every Mother Counts, which educates women in third world countries in maternal care. “I created a disc inscribed with words of empowerment and meaning. I love how this piece connects to the charity it was created for. ”
What’s the best part of her new venture? “Designing rooms is extremely fulfilling but creating something that I can hold in my hands and wear is really meaningful.” Her girl’s are proud of her and even ask her to make things for their teachers and friends. “I feel like I’m doing the thing that I’m supposed to be doing and that’s a great feeling.”
Contact: [email protected]
Find Raquel’s creations in the VentureMom Shop
Venture Mom Tip:
Use your current talent to create a new venture in a new area.
