Photo by John Haynes
Gretchen Ventura sitting at a fire place
Ventura rocking her signature bling inside her Wayzata studio.
Gretchen Ventura is all about creating statement pieces to wear for whatever life throws at you—be it a boardroom meeting, concert, or cocktail party. But make no mistake: Her signature style is far from basic.
Take two steps inside her Wayzata studio and you’re immediately surrounded by her collected, worldly, and eclectic aesthetic. She’s always exploring the globe in search of unique materials—such as Afghan petrified-wood spheres, aquamarine crystals—to incorporate into her stunners. “Curiosity is essential to my creativity,” says Ventura, who shifted gears seven years ago from a career in technology to pursue one as a full-time jewelry designer. “Most of my pieces have a story, and that’s really important to me.”
Ventura’s brand tagline frames her creative vision: “Raw. Luxe. Worldly. Powerful.” It speaks to her love of jet setting and her attraction to the “perfectly imperfect” and all things yin yang. To her, balance is everything. “For example, take the words raw and luxe,” she says. “They belong on two separate poles, but when you put them together, they create something beautiful.”
Her latest drop, the Rockstar collection, juxtaposes blackened and acid-washed hand-hammered sterling chains with pavé diamond clasps and black spinel. “My style is bold,” says Ventura, whose customers love buying pieces that aren’t seen on everyone in the streets.
Each piece within a GV collection is designed to be layered with its cousins or simply shine on its own. “Women should have a wardrobe of jewelry,” says Ventura, who is a firm believer that an edgy statement necklace (or three) is the answer to jazzing up a classic white tee and moto jacket.
Photo by John Haynes
A jewelry piece by Gretchen Ventura
Ventura designs in Minnesota, but she has a booming brand presence across the country. She’s even been recognized by some of fashion’s bigwigs—including Donna Karan, who stopped Ventura in her tracks to buy some bracelets after spotting her in New York City. Ventura also makes personal appearances as a trunk show designer for Neiman Marcus and travels to different stores to sell her pieces and co-create one-of-a-kind designs with customers.
While she’s been designing for nearly seven years, some believe Ventura has now really found her “sweet spot” as an artisan. Earlier this year, while she was at a Neiman Marcus show in Scottsdale, the precious jewelry manager—impressed with her cohesive, sophisticated style—said, “Gretchen’s really grown up.”
Pieces within her couture collections range from $595 to $11,000, and in GBV (her lower-priced diffusion line), from $95 to $995. Beyond her website, we lucky locals can find a small curated selection at North Loop’s D.NOLO or set up an appointment at her studio to shop or dream up a piece of our own.
