ELISHEVA & CONSTANCE’S MEXICAN MASTERPIECES BRIDGE TRADITION AND TECHNIQUE

BY RHIANNA JONES

Certain cultural traditions get passed down across generations to keep legacy and history alive, and for Barbara López Vie Chávez, jewelry is the medium through which she’s modernizing Mexican art. Chávez grew up with a deep passion for art, fashion, and design, and she aspired to push the boundaries of creativity. Though she enjoyed a successful early career as an architect, it was in the exploration of jewelry where she found her true calling, eventually guiding her to launch her own brand. Elisheva & Constance was founded in 2014, though the initial idea arose in 2010 when the architect was looking for different jewelry offerings than what was available in her hometown of San Miguel de Allende.

She spent the next four years studying and researching the market, and she was able to position her brand as a pioneer and pave her own lane in local jewelry. Honoring the tradition, culture, and rich history behind Mexican gold, her high-fash-ion pieces reflect her passion for elevated, hand-crafted works of art, each with their own personality. Mixing gold, silver, and bronze with crystals and all-natural, semi-precious stones, each piece holds a unique energy, a story to enchant Chávez’s sophisti-cated clientele. Each item is handmade locally in San Miguel, pieced together in an intimate (and stylishly decorated, of course) creative house, using the time-honored techniques that have long been embedded in the DNA of the vibrant city.

For the designer, creating 100% Mexican pieces, blending centuries of tradition with a contemporary edge, feels like a living dream. Not only is Elisheva & Constance continuing the legacy of Mexican handiwork for a modern era, but it’s also expanding the footprint of Mexican artistry throughout the nation and beyond. The beauty of life is that we are constantly learning and exploring. From architect to jewelry designer, Chávez’s journey reminds us that like art itself we too can evolve.

Elisheva & Constance en.elisheva-constance.com

Necklace:
Elisheva & Constance

PHOTOGRAPHER Mark Oberlin

STYLIST Dion “Bleu” Drake

MODEL Sterling with Pretty Management

MAKEUP Christopher Miles using bareMinerals and Bossy Cosmetics

HAIR George Fragkioudakis using Unite products and Hidden Crown Hair