Nicole Whisenhunt’s sparkling affair
Nicole Whisenhunt makes beautiful fine jewelry, a sparkling venture that she has had for over a decade now. It was only recently that she opened a boutique called Whisenhunt Fine Jewellery at Power Plant in Rockwell, Makati City. At its launch, guests enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and a special champagne “on the rocks” experience with Moët & Chandon’s Ice Impérial Rosé, the world’s first rosé champagne served with ice.
Born in San Francisco and raised in Manila, Nicole became
passionate about accessory and jewelry design during her college days but eventually went into embroidery in 2007. She was nominated for Stylebible’s “Breakthrough Designer of the Year” in 2009, Go Negosyo’s “Most Inspiring Youth Entrepreneur,” among many other citations. She was also featured in international publications such as Elle, Town & Country, In Style and Women’s Wear Daily.
In 2011, she started her fine jewelry business. She took classes at L’Ecole Van Cleef and Arpels (The School of Jewelry and Arts) in Paris to further hone her knowledge about diamonds and other fine jewels. She now divides her time between designing a 24-piece fine jewelry collection per year and creating bespoke pieces for clients. I have admired her art-deco style pieces for a long time.
Nicole’s desire to further educate the Philippine market on the diversity of fine jewelry was one of the primary factors that propelled her to open The Whisenhunt Boutique that now houses three main collections: Contemporary, Wedding Annex and Heirloom. The boutique interiors were designed by Trisha Calma and styled by creative consultant Miguel Rosales.
Do visit the boutique even if just to smell the signature scent of the place. Trust me, the scent of the boutique is invigorating as you walk through the doors. Jazz and world music softly plays in the background and you feel momentarily taken to an era that has inspired the Whisenhunt pieces. (Whisenhunt Fine Jewellery is located on Level R2 at Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, Makati City.)