In 2002 while working as a trader with Morgan Stanley in Houston, Emily Armenta enrolled in Rice University's MBA program and was charged with creating a fictional business for a class project. That was the start of her jewelry company, Phoeben (her nickname), which featured Emily Armenta Designs. Today, her Houston-based company has 20 employees locally and produces about 7,000 pieces of jewelry annually. Although Armenta has evolved from a corporate professional into a gifted jewelry designer, she retains an eye for the unusual. Her exquisite collection in oxidized silver and 18 Karat gold is inspired by poets from the Spanish renaissance, Spain's Iberian scenery and Andalusian countryside. Forget impressive resumes, Armenta also prides herself on finding the talent to forge these exquisite creations from unusual sources; women with heart, passion and soul whose only need is a chance.
