Last month, the new TARBAY showroom in Brickell opened it’s doors for the first time. To kick off this momentus occasion, I joined some of Miami’s style elites like Ria Michelle and Athina Marturet at the new store for a laid-back luncheon hosted by co-creator Ana Sofia Tarbay.
Between sips of mimosas and bites of delicious sushi (catered by TARBAY‘s next-door-neighbor, Bonding Sushi) Ana Sofia told us all about how TARBAY began with hand-crafted jewelry and that, even now, all their products are held to the same level of intricate design and carefully selected materials. But that went without saying— looking around, my eyes devoured the sparkling assortment of haute inspired jewelry, shoes, handbags, and clutches.
As she spoke, we learned that TARBAY jewelry was established in 2002 by herself and her sister Marta Tarbay in their home country of Venezuela. Individually handcrafted in a workshop on Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela, the jewelry is made with 14 karat gold, silver, and Amazonian gems. Expanding into shoes and handbags, they passed along a discerning eye for fashion and, in so doing, have manifested a genuinely tasteful brand that exalts the senses.
With boutiques and kiosks scattered in multiple countries, each TARBAY piece imparts the allure of the Latin American woman and makes it accessible to women around the world. Now, TARBAY carves out a space on South Miami Avenue just off SW 7th Street in the bustling neighborhood of Brickell in Downtown Miami. After a delightful lunch with some of Miami’s leading ladies, I went home with an exquisite pair of hand-made rose gold earrings and a pair of black lace-up pony hair booties!
My earrings are a hit! Being that they’re made of 14 karat gold, they’re very delicate so I only wear them for photos or special events, but when I do I get tons of compliments. I chose them because they’re totally different from anything else I have. I feel it’s important to test one’s personal style boundaries from time to time— you might be surprised by what you can pull off. You can get a similar pair of TARBAY earrings here.
As for the shoes, I practically drooled all over them in the TARBAY showroom that day (which would have been bad, that pony hair is not easy to clean.) Because they’re all black, the texture is not overly noticeable in dim lighting but the gold accents keep them from visually going flat. Not quite leather and yet not shiny patent either, pony hair adds subtle drama to every outfit. It’s also worth mentioning I don’t have any other lace-up bootie heels in my wardrobe, but here I am enjoying this on-trend look even more than I thought I would.
Paired with skinny jeans, shorts, midi-skirts, or mini-dresses, these finely crafted kicks always steal the show— and I’m OK with that. You can get your own pair of TARBAY shoes here.
Keep your eyes on TARBAY— I just found out their next collection for Winter 2016 is inspired by one of my favorite childhood stories: A Little Princess. I can’t imagine what they will come up with, but I know all my millennial gals out there can relate to how exciting this is.
DISCLOSURE: I sometimes get free stuff so I can provide an honest review for you all. This post includes free product from Tarbay. All opinions are my own. Please click here to learn more about sponsored posts.
