Erika Peña: From a Shell Lamp in Puerto Rico to Dressing Beyoncé and Rihanna
Erika Peña's fashion empire started with a broken shell lamp and a pair of handmade earrings. Born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents, she grew up in Florida before moving to New York City at 18 to chase a career in fashion design, training under Donna Karan, Josie Natori, Marc Jacobs, and Calvin Klein before graduating from Parsons School of Design.
In 2006, working with nothing more than ambition and the remnants of that broken lamp, she designed her first piece: earrings that launched what is now Erika Peña Designs. Her sister, Bielka Peña-Bevillard, joined the brand at its inception, and the two have run it together ever since.
Aja Ruffle Top, Erika Peña
What started as jewelry has grown into a full bohemian lifestyle brand: custom maxi dresses, resortwear, and accessories, most of it still handcrafted in Bali, where Peña now lives and designs. The Chloe and Lana lace pants are built around one-of-a-kind embroidered lace rather than a repeatable factory pattern, with flourishes cut from the embroidery and hand-applied at the hems; the label's studded leather belts, by contrast, are made in Mexico.
Erika Peña Mónica Maxi DressPeña's designs have been worn by Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton, and Jessica Alba, proof that a brand born from a broken lamp in a Puerto Rican living room can still dress some of the most photographed women in the world.
Erika Peña's resortwear and accessories are available now at Fashion Tastemakers.