Just in time for the holidays, Dallas-based entrepreneur Natalia Jones has opened her first brick-and-mortar home decor and accessories store, Natalia Veronica, at The Shops at Willow Bend.
As the daughter of a seamstress and architect, a love for design and art is in Natalia’s blood. Originally from New Orleans, Natalia moved to Texas to study fashion design at The Art Institute of Dallas.
After graduating, she worked for several luxury brands like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Prada and Vera Wang. In 2010, after years of keeping it behind closed doors, Natalia began showing her art in various galleries.
“It’s hard for artists to share their work, because it exposes them personally,” she explains. “After many years of people giving me the push to show my work, I started showing in galleries. I wanted to incorporate my fashion background [with my art] because I didn’t leave that love. I wanted to find a way to incorporate both.”
A few years later she began creating hand-painted purses and started showing them at various fashion markets.
“I wanted people to walk away with something beyond a painting, something they can interact with and enjoy the same way they love their favorite shoes. That way they have the art—which is the conversational piece—but also the function of things like handbags, scarves and pillows.”
For inspiration she looks to brands like Jil Sanders and Yves Saint Laurent. “I’m drawn to things with more structure to them—like architecture. It’s about the lines and the form rather than being too free falling.”
Some of Natalia’s best fashion advice comes from her mother. “[She] always said, ‘You don’t need everything, just the right things.’ It’s better to buy things of a certain quality, which don’t have to be luxury brands. I buy from people who make jewelry and beauty products in their home.”
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Now, Natalia is opening her first store – and she couldn’t be more excited.
“From the first phone call to signing the lease, it all seemed like a dream. I could not be happier to have such an amazing opportunity at The Shops at Willow Bend,” says Natalia Jones, who has lived in Dallas for the last 15 years. “I love communicating with customers and this will give me the opportunity to do just that, all while growing and learning as a brand.”
At Natalia Veronica, customers will find handbags, mini-handbags, scarves, pillows, cards and more, all of which are made in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. These items are created using Jones’ original gallery-exhibited artwork. For example, pillows, scarves and handbags are printed with Jones’ artwork. She personally cuts every piece of her hand-selected fabric that goes into creating a Natalia Veronica original handbag. The pieces are constructed by local female artisans and, once they are complete, she inspects and gives each bag a personal touch to make them unique.
“My items are inspired by my creative and artistic hometown of New Orleans and each item carries the namesake of a street important to me in NOLA,” Jones said. “I moved to Dallas to study fashion design and now I have been able to combine my love of art and my love of design.”
The Shops at Willow Bend is just as excited to make Jones’ work available to community members.
“The moment we saw Natalia Jones’ unique and creative accessories and home decor pieces, we knew the community would love her products,” says Amy Medford, marketing director at The Shops at Willow Bend, PLano. “We are so excited for her store to open.”
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Find Natalia Veronica on the Upper Level of the Shops at Willow Bend between Dillard’s and Neiman Marcus.
To browse Natalia Veronica’s artsy fashion, visit nataliaveronica.com.
