KARINA BREZ

PHOTO: KATHY RUSSELL

The daughter of a master jeweler combines a LOVE OF HORSES with creative design.

BY EVELIN PORTALES

Bringing together the creation of beautiful jewelry and horse love is what Wellington, Florida, resident Karina Brez did with her elegant jewelry line, Karina Brez Jewelry. The sparkle of jewelry has brightened her life from a young age, and it became her goal to make a mark in the jewelry business. “My father used to subcontract work for major jewelry companies in New York City as a master jeweler. I grew up watching him in his workshop working on jewelry and also watching my mom sell the beautiful pieces. With jewelry being a large part of my life, it has come naturally,” said Brez. She grew up in Palm Beach County, Florida, and earned her Set Design and Visual Arts degree from A.W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts.

Her studies reflected her creative goals, but soon her world changed, and a new path emerged. “I woke up one morning from a dream that I won Miss Universe. I decided it was a dream worth pursuing,” explained Brez. She began researching information about local pageants and soon won the title of Miss Florida USA. While Miss Florida, Brez created her own jewelry and gowns.

In the summer of 2012, she decided to begin her jewelry business. She was motivated by the many compliments her pieces received at competitions, and, with her knowledge of jewelry design, she began to create her collections. That same year, Brez made Horses Healing Hearts her nonprofit platform and shared their mission as she competed in the Miss USA Pageant. She entered the equestrian world through the non-profit and her jewelry collection became a reality. “After attending an equestrian event with Horses Healing Hearts at the Winter Equestrian Festival at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, I decided that I would enjoy merging my two passions, horses and jewelry, through my jewelry line,” said Brez. Her jewelry showcases her love for the equestrian world in her unique pieces. The inspiration for her Huggable Hooves collection came from watching horses as they passed by her shop. “I thought, ‘what if a horse could hug you or hold your hand?’ That was the moment Huggable Hooves was born,” she explained with a smile. Through extensive research on horse anatomy, she sketched and designed hooves as if they would hug the wrist. The Lucky Horseshoe Necklace collection is equally classic. “Luck is something everyone desires. Why not add that to one of my pieces and bring you even more luck and compliments?” she says. Brez has built a successful business despite the challenges, creating a beautiful and classic equestrian line. The current climate is difficult for businesses, but Brez encourages people to continue to work toward their dream, as she has done. She has recently opened her first brick and mortar store on the famous Worth Avenue in Palm Beach, Florida. “It’s not going to be simple; the most rewarding things in life very rarely are. However, make sure you love what you are doing because in difficult times—usually at the early stages of any business—it is easy to give up. Keep going, set goals, whether they be small or long term. However, the most important factor: believe in yourself no matter what.”