Evelyn
When looking back on her new career path, Evelyn recalls her fondest memory as when she received her first award: the 2007 Outstanding Artist Achievement Award by Empowered Women International. Evelyn is humbled by the recognition and sees it as something not to brag about, but rather as something that lets her work speak for itself.
August 2010 — The first time I met Evelyn Brooks was incidentally by chance. The day was July 24, 2010, and I was working as a volunteer at one of Empowered Women International’s craft fairs. After offering my assistance to the artists who were setting up their booths, a down to earth woman in a chic red and black outfit with accessories put me right to work. I remember going through her display pieces and thinking, “I would totally wear this jewelry!” Upon closer inspection I noticed the logo and name of the designer: Evelyn Brooks. I thought to myself, “Evelyn Brooks? The same woman I am to interview later this week?” One in the same!
Evelyn Brooks’ career began in the airlines industry. In October of 2001 she was laid off from her job and moved back to her native country of Peru. As Evelyn recounts, “On Christmas day [of that year], my father, who has spent most of his life in the jewelry manufacturing industry, gave me a box of rubies and sapphires and asked me to put together a design.” After growing up in the jewelry trade, Evelyn was reluctant to join the family business. This time around, however, Evelyn decided to take the leap and has never looked back since. Just three years later in October of 2004 Evelyn and her husband, Bryan Brooks, officially launched Evelyn Brooks Designs.
Evelyn’s story doesn’t end just there. Not only did her lay-off launch her into an entirely new career, but her time with the airline industry offered great perspective into her place and purpose in the world. You see, Evelyn was scheduled to be on the United Airlines flight 93 on September 11, 2001. As fate or the power that be would have it, however, Evelyn was rescheduled to fly that very same plane just one day earlier on the 10th. As a result of this harrowing experience, says Evelyn, “I feel like I’m somehow meant to be here, doing this work.”
In fact, one of Evelyn’s guiding principles as a businesswoman and entrepreneur is her social responsibility commitment. Evelyn pledges to help communities in need and to make a positive impact in fighting for global issues through her jewelry business. This past June, for example, Evelyn designed pieces for the Green Cup Polo, an event that promotes environmental protection and conservation.
From 2007-2008 Evelyn worked as the exclusive designer for the line of Fashion Fights Poverty Charms for Fashion Fights Poverty, an organization whose mission is to “raise awareness for initiatives that encourage and support creative, effective, and sustainable means of challenging poverty.” Evelyn was even selected to model for an FFP “Uncle Sam” poster with the message: “We want you to fight poverty!”
When looking back on her new career path, Evelyn recalls her fondest memory as when she received her first award: the 2007 Outstanding Artist Achievement Award by Empowered Women International. Evelyn is humbled by the recognition and sees it as something not to brag about, but rather as something that lets her work speak for itself.
Evelyn was most recently praised as a “jewelry designer of rare talent” after receiving Dialogue on Diversity’s Young Entrepreneur Award at the Dialogue on Diversity Entrepreneurship/IT Conference in July of this year. Additionally, Evelyn was awarded the Fashion Chamber Choice Award in May of 2010.
Evelyn Brooks Designs’ products are all hand-made and sterling silver 950 (a softer metal than sterling silver that doesn’t varnish as easily), vermeil 18-karat gold, 18-karat gold, or platinum. Evelyn works with precious metals, natural gemstones, and huayruro seeds from the Amazon.
Her signature pieces use the red and sometimes red and black huayruro seeds, which are known for their good luck and for their protection against negative energy. The seeds that are both red and black carry masculine energy while the solid red seeds carry feminine energy. Together, they complement each other in the same way the yin complements the yang. These seeds are lightweight and grow in a vibrant shade of red, and sometimes black, that is neither dyed nor artificially preserved.
When asked about her 2010 Moschik Men’s Jewelry Collection, Evelyn shared with me both a small history lesson and the source of her muse. The Moche—“Moschik” being a play on words—civilization flourished on the dry deserts of the Northern coast of Peru between 200 BC and 700 AD. Their culture inspired her to design complex geometric designs that the Moches developed in their unique pottery and metal work. In this collection Evelyn designed male Rosaries with onyx, tiger’s eye, and huayruro seeds, in addition to cufflinks, pendants, cuff bracelets, and rings.
Evelyn prides herself in her native Peruvian culture and believes that there exists an enigmatic sense to everything in Peruvian art. She goes on, “I am a very passionate and young entrepreneur and I look forward to creating more innovative and modern designs influenced by my native Peruvian culture.”
Evelyn previewed her upcoming 2011 collection during festivities surrounding Peru’s Independence Day on July 27 and 28, 2010. The Wizard Girls and celebrity stylist Abigail de Casanova were among the models that showcased the new collection on a fashion show runway. Funds were raised during the event for Coprodeli, an organization that aids Peruvian families by “providing for fundamental needs, promoting education and job training, and developing strong self-sustaining community programs.”
When asked what advice she would give to another young woman entrepreneur like herself, Evelyn said to be sure to have your ideas in place, have a business plan ready, be passionate, persevere, never give up, and learn constructively from the lessons of rejection.
Works Cited
“Mission.” Fashion Fights Poverty. 27 Aug. 2010.
“Our Mission.” Coprodeli USA. 27 Aug. 2010.
Jewelry by Evelyn Brooks
Written by Kristin G. Şekerci
Kristin is a senior at American University majoring in Latin American Studies and the Spanish Language and minoring in Anthropology. She is currently living with her husband in the Mt. Pleasant area of DC. For three weeks in August, Kristin worked as an intern for Evelyn Brooks Designs and now looks forward to helping Evelyn sell her products at upcoming sales events.