Hi, I am Vanessa. Married to my great love Bart, and mother of the sweetest boy in the world: Bram. Bram is now 11 years old, and he is my greatest source of inspiration.
My mission began on the beautiful island of Aruba, where I volunteered at the Food Bank. During that period, I made bracelets to raise as much money as possible so we could directly distribute food to children who were hungry. This was during the difficult times of COVID, and it truly changed my life. It made me aware of how important it is to do something meaningful for others, and of the power of love and togetherness.
Because I wanted to contribute to a better world, I started thinking about how I could do that in a lasting and meaningful way. That is how my brand La Luz was born, with the mission to spread positivity, love, and strength for children and for everyone who needs it.
Our mission started small, but has now grown into something very special. At La Luz, we don’t just want to create beautiful jewelry; we especially want to share a message that every child deserves to be themselves and to believe in themselves. Because I believe that when children believe in themselves, they can achieve so much more and live a happy, strong life.
In our current society, it can sometimes be a challenge for children to fully be themselves. We live in a world where we often have to fit in and meet expectations, but not every child fits into the system so easily. My own son experiences this as well, and that deeply moves me. I strongly believe that every child has the strength to become who they want to be, as long as they believe in themselves. But what I mean is not that you can become anything in a literal sense—I mean that you can live the most beautiful life by being happy. Because when you are happy, you can achieve much more than you think. A positive mindset is the key to a happy and fulfilling life, for both children and adults.
It is so important that children are given the space to discover who they truly are. When they are allowed to be who they want to be, more strength, joy, and above all happiness can emerge. That is why at La Luz we have developed our positive jewelry: small reminders that you are allowed to believe in yourself. A small gesture that means so much, and that can bring a smile on a day that may feel heavy.
For children going through difficult times, such as illness or challenging circumstances, we have created a special line. Because we notice there is so much demand for jewelry that can provide strength and hope during hard times, we have decided to bring La Luz Kids under the Princess Máxima Center. This fits much better with our mission, as it allows us to support children who are ill, and our jewelry can serve as a powerful and loving symbol of remembrance and strength.
What we find very meaningful is that with La Luz Kids we can support two causes: we support the Princess Máxima Center, where we help children fight and heal, and with La Luz Lifestyle we support Free a Girl, an organization that works to help girls who are victims of sexual exploitation.
In this way, we can make an even bigger difference as a brand and help even more people.
At La Luz, we want to spread love, strength, and positivity. Because every child deserves to shine, to be themselves, and to believe in themselves for a bright future
We would greatly appreciate it if you would share our story. Tell it to your neighbour, your sister, your mother, your friend, or your colleague. Every time you share our story, you help us reach more people and grow our work.
For us, as starting entrepreneurs, that is incredibly valuable. It is so meaningful when you choose to share our story, because that is the most valuable form of support we can receive. Thank you for supporting us and helping spread our story — together, we make a difference.
With love, Vanessa
