Even for many who search to be the focus, the highlight typically comes with a heavy value. In a world the place gossip guidelines a lot of the mediasphere, even non-celebrities can find yourself caught up within the maelstrom of intense public consideration. Particularly in the event that they’re intently related to somebody well-known and recognizable. Gabriela Berlingeri skilled that, and to a level only a few can relate to, throughout the time she dated probably the most well-known individuals on the planet — Unhealthy Bunny.
The story of how Berlingeri and the Latin entice artist had an opportunity assembly and began up a relationship again in 2017 has turn out to be a part of his lore. The 2 have been collectively for a number of years and even collaborated on a handful of songs. She was even shouted out in “Acho PR,” a single off his newest album “Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana.”
The small print of when and the way the connection ended have been saved near their chests, in tune with what was already a extremely personal romance. And whereas media shops have coated each final one among Unhealthy Bunny’s strikes within the final 12 months, Berlingeri has immersed herself in her ardour undertaking — her jewellery line, DiciembreVeintinueve. Named after her delivery date, the model has additionally aided her in discovering new and wholesome views on self-love and life past a high-profile relationship.
Raised all her life within the beachy Isla Verde neighborhood of Carolina, Puerto Rico, Berlingeri has all the time counted herself as near nature. She describes her household as one stuffed with “creators,” a trait that she feels proud to observe.
“My grandmother makes stained glass, my dad designed all his tattoos, plus he loves portray. My aunt is an architect. My household has been fairly artistic,” Berlingeri tells POPSUGAR. “The act of creating one thing your self, along with your fingers, is wonderful.”
In her case, Berlingeri gravitated towards jewellery. “A lot of individuals say they can not sleep with their jewellery on, however I all the time sleep with them,” she says. “I get up, and even when I am not sporting the rest, I will have my jewellery on me.”
Her curiosity solely elevated after she labored alongside an area jewellery designer and discovered easy methods to craft items herself. In 2019, she started to plant the seeds for what would ultimately turn out to be DiciembreVeintinueve (or D29, as it is also recognized). The model launched in November 2020 following pandemic-related delays, and since then it is churned out stunning necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and extra, all made in-house by Berlingeri and her staff utilizing domestically sourced supplies.
Berlingeri says she has long-term concepts for collections however prefers to be impressed within the second relating to particular person designs. When requested how she comes up with them, she says: “It’s totally random. I will sit down, go over what items I’ve at hand, placed on my AirPods, and begin linking them collectively. It is like constructing a puzzle.”
This month D29 is releasing its Valentine’s Day assortment with items such because the Nabelle “Unicorn” Necklace, and a two-piece “Thelma and Louise” Necklace to share between finest mates. This 12 months’s theme is devoted to self-love, wholesome friendships, and the necessary bond between one’s thoughts, physique, and spirit if you start to deal with you. Final July, they dropped the Rhea Assortment, a line impressed by the colours of Puerto Rico’s pure basins, rivers, forests, and seashores. It was an concept that all of the sudden sprang to Berlingeri only some months in the past. She determined to take a highway journey across the island to search for additional inspiration. It reveals in a wide range of the items — simply have a look at the inexperienced tourmaline stones that make up the collar of the Medare Necklace, which she factors out can signify not solely the inexperienced of the flora but in addition how river and ocean water can generally tackle a inexperienced hue.
“The stones we use in our collections are pure, semiprecious,” she shares. “I’ve had a number of seashore inspiration earlier than, however this time I wished to incorporate extra of the rivers and forests. Puerto Rico is understood for its seashores, however we now have many stunning rivers and I wished to seize their colours.”
One other piece, the Casa Necklace, reveals a palm tree within the foreground and a mountain vary within the background, which displays a view many locals reside with every single day — the coast on one facet and the central mountains on the opposite. As Berlingeri places it, “A lot of individuals will relate as a result of we’re a small island. Attending to a seashore is just not that arduous, though I do know there are vicissitudes.” She recollects a information report she noticed as soon as about communities within the highest factors of Puerto Rico, the place individuals had gone their whole lives with out leaving their cities. “There’s a number of poverty in Puerto Rico, up within the mountains, greater than individuals notice,” she provides. “There are households residing there who’ve by no means seen the ocean, they usually don’t have any method [to visit the coast].”
As she speaks candidly and enthusiastically about this assortment and future initiatives, together with quickly increasing D29 to promote bathing fits, her pleasure is palpable. She’s surrounded by a devoted all-women staff of individuals she considers shut mates, together with head designer Shelby Díaz Esquerdo, who spearheads the waste-conscious One in all One initiative, which reuses discarded components to create one-of-a-kind jewellery items.
Berlingeri is aware of escaping consideration for whom she was with previously will take some time, however she’s adjusted her life round what helps her ignore the noise and transfer ahead together with her targets.
“What’s most necessary for me proper now’s sustaining myself blissful and at peace,” she says. “You must push by means of quite a bit as a way to really feel nicely and steady. And I wish to create issues that fulfill me, and deal with my work.”
Berlingeri is placing that into the theme of her new line, too, framing it across the thought of getting her prospects purchase Valentine’s Day presents for themselves.
“I am in an period of: love your self! It is an incredible second to say, ‘I’ll get this for myself,’ throughout this season of consumerism, [which was] created to make you spend cash.”
“I am in an period of: love your self! It is an incredible second to say, ‘I’ll get this for myself,’ throughout this season of consumerism, [which was] created to make you spend cash,” she says. “It is an incredible alternative for somebody to consider themselves for the primary time and never take into consideration different individuals.”
Build up D29 and making it profitable was precisely the form of wholesome distraction Berlingeri wanted the final 12 months, including that it was “100 %” a type of remedy for herself.
“I get [to the office] and I am blissful. To me, getting right here frees me from every little thing else; it retains my ft on the bottom — busy,” she says. “Typically I’ve days off and suppose, ‘What do I do?’ I do not wish to depend upon anyone to make plans.” Proper now, she likes to go to the seashore by herself; she is aware of particular spots the place she will be able to have privateness, keep away from overeager followers, and easily benefit from the surf.
That is what this complete period is about for Berlingeri: specializing in herself, what brings her pleasure, and what makes her excited concerning the future. And that is by no means an excessive amount of.
Though one among designer Coco Chanel’s well-known quotes goes, “Earlier than you allow the home, look within the mirror and take one factor off,” Berlingeri begs to vary. “I am sorry to Coco Chanel, however extra is extra,” she laughs. Extra work, extra happiness, extra time with mates, and all for the sake of nobody however herself.