MINA RO MINA INTERVIEW

Mina Ro Mina's Erika Ponce creates inspired jewelry collections that are both ornate and modern.

Erika began painting when she was three years old and studied sculpture in high school. She has a degree in Graphic Design and apprenticeships with masters have led Erika from Italy to New York, where she has worked under the creative direction of star jewelry designers.  A big highlight was being  selected for the “Crystal Loves Leather” exhibition, hosted by Swarovski. Erika Ponce spends her time between New York and her studio in Guanajuato- a historical Mexican state filled with silver and stone mines where she creates the Mina Ro Mina collection.

Greatest inspirations or influences?

I get most of my inspiration from nature. My design process always begins with an observation of some form of nature. For my last collection, I applied the pattern of reptile scales to tilia tree leaves and I still carried these elements forward to my latest collection. If there was a particular individual I make my jewelry for, I would have to say it’s the sophisticated woman – one that has a strong appreciation for art and uses fashion as a form of self expression.

Fashion icons?

• Ana Dello Russo, Carine Roitfeld, Alexa Chung,

• Kate Moss, Siena Miller, Erin Wasson and Vanessa Paradis

Favorite blogs & publications?

• Vogue Gioiello, The Sartorialist, shoplatitude.com

Something to share with the audience? Jewelry is nothing but pure sculpture used to decorate the body