Today we’re highlighting the story of Victoria Ruta, the owner and Founder of V. Ruta Designs. Victoria Ruta received a Bachelor of Science in Art and Design from Towson University. Her passion and creativity for design started as a child when she would find herself constantly beading necklaces and weaving friendship bracelets. Now an industry professional, her design background and career in production have enabled her to craft a body of work inspired by her surroundings. The shorelines from Victoria Ruta’s childhood and the skyline of New York City are recurring themes in her designs. Victoria Ruta’s work explores the relationship between ornate art deco patterns and nautical imagery, which evoke a sense of memory in the wearer.
”I create meaningful connections between person and place, through memories formed from sterling, gemstone, and nautical findings.” Victoria Ruta
Tell us in your own words what you do?
At V. Ruta Designs we create custom one-of-a-kind jewelry. When I first started my company I created bodies’ of work, but shifted towards custom jewelry because I love creating new and challenging pieces. We make everything from custom engagement rings, to new jewelry that is repurposed from older jewelry. Think of it as a new spin on an heirloom.
What is the hardest part of working for yourself?
The hardest part of working for myself is learning the “business” aspect of running a company. Trying to navigate social media as a marketing strategy has been challenging for me because I’ve always been on the creative side, not the business side.
If you could tell yourself one thing before beginning your career what would it be?
I would tell myself to have minored in business.
What motivated you to start your brand?
When I was younger I would always hand make jewelry for gifts, and as I got older people started to really like what I was making. After graduating from college I started making small commission pieces for family and friends. From there I started designing more and more and turned it into a brand and I thought “okay, I can do this, this makes me happy, this motivates me”.
What are the best and worst things about your job?
The best thing is seeing the look on my clients’ faces when they try on their jewelry for the first time. It brings me such joy to see how happy my jewelry makes them. The worst thing about my job is when people try to lowball you, and say “well I can get this somewhere for cheaper”. All my pieces are made with a labor of love and it upsetting how people don’t understand that.
What are the company’s plans for the next 5 years?
This might be more than 5 years, but I want to open up a retail space. Not just to sell my jewelry, but for artists who are just starting out and need a space to sell their jewelry. I know that has helped me when I first started and I want to give back and help others get that start.
If you had one piece of advice to give to someone just starting out, what would it be?
My one piece of advice would be to absorb, act like a sponge and take in all that you can. It’s important to continue learning new things. Whether it be new jeweler techniques, or a new social media platform. The more you learn the more you’ll grow.
Who are your clients?
My clients typically are women 30-65 who enjoy simple jewelry that they can make into an everyday piece. A lot of my customers buy pieces from my RTW line and come back when they learn that I offer custom jewelry services.
If you had an extra 6 hours of your day what would you do?
If I had an extra 6 hours in my day I would probably spend more time photographing my jewelry. I feel like I should take more pictures in different environments to create more content for social media and my website.
For more information, you can go to https://www.vrutadesigns.com
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