Vendor Highlight: Tawapa

This March, in the spirit of Women's History Month, we're thrilled to shine a spotlight on Tawapa — a woman-owned jewelry brand that has been a part of our story since the very beginning. When we opened our doors in 1999, Tawapa was already one of the vendors we wanted in our studio. It's been a joy to watch their designs evolve over the decades — from their roots in organic jewelry to the breathtaking gold and precious stone collections they're known for today. Every year at the APP conference in Las Vegas, catching up with the Tawapa team is one of our highlights. We always leave inspired and can't wait to bring their newest designs back to the studio for you.

With Tawapa's 30th anniversary just around the corner, it felt like the perfect moment to celebrate the brand we love by getting to know one of the woman behind it a little better. Here is our Q&A with one of the owners, Phoebe:

How long have you been around?

We've been around since the beginning of time. Seriously, it's been forever — my entire adult life — which translates to.... 30 years!!!! It's hard to grasp, but 2026 is our 30th anniversary. I'm so grateful to have been an integral part of this industry for 3 decades, and still genuinely inspired by this work almost every single day.

How did you choose the name “TAWAPA”

Good question. Tawapa was a commune founded in the 1960s and 70s—home to outlaws, nonconformists, and social renegades. It took its name from the valley just outside Placitas, where a small river runs at the foot of the Sandia Mountains. The valley itself was named after the Native American tribe that once called the land home.
I grew up there, wild and free. Naming the company Tawapa is a tribute to that place and to the untamed upbringing that shaped me.

How do you come up with your beautiful designs?

My creative flow is vast and varied. I tend to have a designing season of the year (winter), where I really sink into creative mode and let the inspiration pull me. I like to find a couple of themes as a jumping off point and see where that inspiration takes me. For example, last year one of my concepts was "what if aliens built the pyramids?"— which led to cosmic, alien-Egyptian visions manifesting in a couple unique collections and then inspiring further ideas.  An interesting fact about my design process is that I do all of my own CAD.  It's not very common for jewelry designers to learn the software themselves and build the pieces in CAD. I use my 3D modeling skills as part of my flow of inspiration.  Often when I sit down to "draw" a piece in 3D, it will lead me to 6 other ideas I hadn't seen before I started the design process. I think that being an artist using a tech software (rather than hiring someone) gives our jewelry a more hands-on, less formulaic look. 

Where are you based?

We have a beautiful studio in downtown Los Angeles.  

How often do you have new designs?

We have 2 primary launches every year. Our new collection comes out with our catalogue in June. And then we have a slightly smaller "mid year" release. Aside from that, we have specific designs and small collections released throughout the year. We have a couple of big new releases coming out this June that I've been working on for over a year. I'm excited and I think you will be too!

Do you have manufacture warranties?

Yes! We use quality materials and have a solid production team after all of these years. We guarantee all of our solid gold and craftsmanship (when professionally installed).

The Lumina in rose gold

Do you have a favorite piece or collection?

I recently had my upper lobe re-pierced with the Lumina (a dangly cosmic inspired piece)... and I'm obsessed. 

Some words from Phoebe, one of the owners:

I want to take a moment to shout out our team—people don’t always realize how small and tight-knit our crew really is.  

For 23 years, Jenella has been my business partner and counterbalance—overseeing operations, sales, and customer relations while I focus on the creative aspects of the company. We have nurtured a true partnership supported by five incredible women in the office and Marybelle and Melissa on the road.