Even for individuals who search to be the focus, the highlight usually 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 carefully related to somebody well-known and recognizable. Gabriela Berlingeri skilled that, and to a level only a few can relate to, in the course of the time she dated probably the most well-known folks 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 main points of when and the way the connection ended have been saved near their chests, in tune with what was already a extremely non-public romance. And whereas media retailers have coated each final one in all Unhealthy Bunny’s strikes within the final yr, Berlingeri has immersed herself in her ardour challenge — her jewellery line, DiciembreVeintinueve. Named after her beginning 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 full of “creators,” a trait that she feels proud to comply with.
“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 inventive,” Berlingeri tells POPSUGAR. “The act of constructing one thing your self, along with your fingers, is wonderful.”
In her case, Berlingeri gravitated towards jewellery. “A number of folks say they cannot sleep with their jewellery on, however I all the time sleep with them,” she says. “I get up, and even when I am not carrying the rest, I will have my jewellery on me.”
Her curiosity solely elevated after she labored alongside an area jewellery designer and realized how one can 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 identified). The model launched in November 2020 following pandemic-related delays, and since then it is churned out lovely necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings, and extra, all made in-house by Berlingeri and her group utilizing domestically sourced supplies.
Berlingeri says she has long-term concepts for collections however prefers to be impressed within the second in the case of particular person designs. When requested how she comes up with them, she says: “It’s extremely 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 yr’s theme is devoted to self-love, wholesome friendships, and the essential bond between one’s thoughts, physique, and spirit while 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 abruptly sprang to Berlingeri just a few months in the past. She determined to take a highway journey across the island to search for additional inspiration. It exhibits in quite a lot of the items — simply take 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 typically tackle a inexperienced hue.
“The stones we use in our collections are pure, semiprecious,” she shares. “I’ve had plenty of seaside inspiration earlier than, however this time I needed to incorporate extra of the rivers and forests. Puerto Rico is thought for its seashores, however now we have many lovely rivers and I needed to seize their colours.”
One other piece, the Casa Necklace, exhibits a palm tree within the foreground and a mountain vary within the background, which displays a view many locals dwell with on daily basis — the coast on one aspect and the central mountains on the opposite. As Berlingeri places it, “A number of folks will relate as a result of we’re a small island. Attending to a seaside isn’t that tough, though I do know there are vicissitudes.” She remembers a information report she noticed as soon as about communities within the highest factors of Puerto Rico, the place folks had gone their total lives with out leaving their cities. “There’s plenty of poverty in Puerto Rico, up within the mountains, greater than folks notice,” she provides. “There are households dwelling there who’ve by no means seen the ocean, they usually don’t have any manner [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 group of individuals she considers shut mates, together with head designer Shelby DÃaz Esquerdo, who spearheads the waste-conscious Certainly one of One initiative, which reuses discarded parts to create one-of-a-kind jewellery items.
Berlingeri is aware of escaping consideration for whom she was with prior to now will take some time, however she’s adjusted her life round what helps her ignore the noise and transfer ahead together with her objectives.
“What’s most essential for me proper now could be sustaining myself completely happy and at peace,” she says. “You need to push via quite a bit as a way to really feel nicely and secure. And I need 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 items for themselves.
“I am in an period of: love your self! It is an awesome 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 awesome 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 awesome alternative for somebody to consider themselves for the primary time and never take into consideration different folks.”
Build up D29 and making it profitable was precisely the sort of wholesome distraction Berlingeri wanted the final yr, including that it was “one hundred pc” a type of remedy for herself.
“I get [to the office] and I am completely happy. To me, getting right here frees me from every little thing else; it retains my ft on the bottom — busy,” she says. “Generally I’ve days off and assume, ‘What do I do?’ I do not need to rely on anyone to make plans.” Proper now, she likes to go to the seaside 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 in regards to the future. And that is by no means an excessive amount of.
Though one in all 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.