Angela Roman Balbuena
I am a Design Director specialised in jewellery, with over 8 years of experience developing fine, demi-fine and fashion jewellery for international brands. My work sits at the intersection of design, research and strategy. With a multidisciplinary background spanning fashion, accessories and fine jewellery, I have developed a holistic approach to product — from research and trend forecasting to concept creation, design direction and final product development. After several years working across fashion and accessories design, I pursued a Master’s Degree in Fine Jewellery Design at Istituto Marangoni Milano. This became a turning point in my career, allowing me to explore jewellery not only as a product, but as a medium for storytelling, emotion and meaning. Throughout my career, I have worked across creative studios and global brands, including PDPAOLA and CH Carolina Herrera, leading design projects and collaborating cross-functionally to shape strong product visions and coherent brand identities across diverse markets. I am particularly interested in translating cultural insights, consumer behaviour and market intelligence into distinctive design languages and commercially relevant product. My approach combines creative intuition with strategic thinking, always seeking to create jewellery that feels distinctive, purposeful and enduring.
Leading the design vision of PDPAOLA’s jewelry collections, from concept to final execution. Overseeing the design team and collaborating cross-functionally to shape the brand’s product identity and long-term design strategy.
Led the design direction across jewelry collections, translating creative direction, trends and cultural references into commercially relevant product.
Designing demi-fine and fine jewellery collections from concept to completion.
Responsible for the design of the costume jewelry collections for Carolina Herrera’s lifestyle line, CH Carolina Herrera, the role activities included: • Presenting trends research and subsequently creative proposals to other teams including Management, Buying, and Commercial leadership, and collaborating across departments. • Identifying and executing new product opportunities as they emerge in the market, anticipating customer's needs. • Using relevant sales data and insights to design commercially relevant, fashion-forward ranges for the different market divisions. • Travels for current trends catching, attending international fairs and trade shows, and suppliers sourcing. • Presentation of many creative ideas as possible aligned to the trends in the luxury market. • Day-to-day Samples follow-up together with suppliers and the technical office team, ensuring design, quality, deadlines, and price targets are respected. • Samples validation for production.
Fine jewellery Design for different targets, from modern to high-end jewellery for both large and small companies in different markets around the world: • To undertake appropriate research, including competition analysis, producing trend reports and presentations, to ensure a high level of awareness of current and emerging trends and ‘must have’ products. • Work closely with Design Director and product development department (onsite) on all matters relating to collections. • Manage individual projects from different targets simultaneously, from initial research to translating ideas visually through hand drawing and computer-based sketches, to correction of cads and physical samples of jewellery pieces, and monitoring the follow-up with the product development team, ensuring quality, deadlines and prices. Facet Barcelona is an international leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of high-quality jewellery. With more than 30 years of experience, delivers classic and trendy jewellery pieces to the highest standards of quality.
Alhaja born during my experience on Jagger studio as an idea to create quality pieces in a Mediterranean core, in which I have participate in the design and planning of its jewelry collections | Hand and digital drawing sketches of the jewelry pieces for technical details and product storytelling | Trend and materials research | Samples development follow-up with suppliers.
Jagger is a design studio based in Spain that offers fashion accessories collections design and consulting services for factories and retailers worldwide. Fashion jewelry, soft and other non-leather accessories for worldwide renowned high street retailers (ZARA, MANGO, UTERQUE, GANNI...) | Trend forecasting to support overseas suppliers in its accessories collection developments | Trends and Material innovation for fashion jewelry products | Textile print design for soft accessories. | Samples follow up with suppliers assuring the on-time best final product.
Trend forecasting and concept development section within the subject "Fashion Design Project III" in the last year of the Fashion Design BA program.
Extramacio is a company specializing in clothing production for Men, Women, and Children based in north Portugal. As a fashion and textile designer, I participated in the creation of innovative styles to offer our clients a full service from creative and commercial designed collections to full production development. • Women and kidswear designer for high street retailers. • Trend forecasting and competitors research to ensure our designs are in line with market leaders and current trends. • Textile print and embroidery design (all over and positional developments). • Technical sheets both for prints and garments, trend and materials research, and sample development follow-up. • Visits to factories (Portugal) to check over collection developments onsite.
• Design and planning of the collection showcased at SIMOF (Salón Internacional de la Moda Flamenca) 2017 • Fashion design for bridal and nightgown looks. • Pattern making; cutting, assembly, and textile finishing.
• Technical sheets. • Pattern making and cutting. • Samples reception.