When Isabel Peña dreamed of becoming a jewelry designer , she had no idea how deeply her family would play a part in her professional development. That's how D'Lujo, her first brand , began to reflect a legacy that, in 2021, she wanted to make a central focus.
This is something she has achieved with a change of direction that looks to the future, but also to the past. Her current goal is to pay tribute to the women in her life who have inspired her passion, and thus Sibela was born .
The jeweler's new brand combines the letters of her own name and that of her mother , María Isabel. But also those of her great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother. And the reasons couldn't be more emotional: first, to remember her family legacy; and second, to celebrate her mother's role in her professional development.
Since Isabel was a child, she would go to her mother's jewelry box to wear her favorite pieces, and so María Isabel became her first influencer . That gesture, which we've all done at some point, became one of her sources of ideas.
Her grandfather and father also got her interested in jewelry making. They were the ones who turned the pieces Isabel found in her family's jewelry boxes into reality . Their participation closes the circle of a legacy in which her entire family is involved: they created the spectacular accessories, and they wore them, passing them down from generation to generation.
Sibela is born from the intersection of her current tastes and the accessories that belonged to her mother, whether new or inherited. A connecting point for mothers and daughters —or even grandmothers—that stands the test of time thanks to its aesthetics and high quality.
To this day, Isabel's jewelry box still houses jewelry from over a hundred years ago, created by her grandmothers (designed by her grandfather and father), with creations she made herself . Because it's that elegant and timeless style she wanted to reflect in her designs, also reflecting the affection she feels for the people she admires most in her family.
The best example is the Deep Sea ring (link) , a piece that connects with her grandmother's collection. "She had a ring with a very large blue stone surrounded by white diamonds, just like Lady Di's." Since she wasn't allowed to wear it because she was small, the jeweler created her own version that she could wear. By recreating her family's design, she managed to give other women the opportunity to feel that connection with iconic jewelry that is also affordable.
After becoming a favorite among her clients, Isabel continues to focus on the tastes of the women in her family . In fact, her next collection will feature another design for which her grandmother's jewelry box once again served as inspiration.
As the fourth generation of one of the country's most important jewelry families, Isabel has found a way to adapt to changing times while maintaining the essence of her brand . "Jewelry has changed. Before, you only had one ring for a lifetime. Now you want jewelry that reminds you of those special occasions on which you received it," says the jeweler.
The secret to making her creations a success? Combining the majesty of the great jewels of generations past with a modern twist , making them perfect for both special occasions and everyday wear.
