Born to an Ecuadorian father and an American mother and attending an international school in Quito, Ecuador until she was 18, Laura experienced vivid culture from a young age. Always captivated by art and ingenuity Laura recognized quickly she had artistic talent. She attended Savannah College of Art and Design where she studied architecture and proceeded to finish her studies in Rhode Island graduating with a degree in Graphic Design. By age 26 she had earned the title of Art Director at the Brighton Agency, an elite St.Louis design firm. Although very successful Laura realized that she was still yearning for something greater in life and having always been fascinated with antique ethnic jewelry she decided to sell her house, and travel the world to study these rare and exotic pieces of art. She experienced the beauty of places like Thailand, Italy, Eastern Europe, Portugal, and Morocco and finally settled in Spain. She collected stones and shells from her travels and was inspired to incorporate them in her first jewelry collections, along with some of the most beautiful stones and shells from her native home, Ecuador. One of Laura Cardenas designs incorporates the striking shell called, Spondylus, a spiny shell found off the Ecuadorian coastline that has been significant to Andean peoples since pre-Columbian times. Laura has also combined natural fibers, seeds and horse crin creating a unique eco line she launched at the 2008 Mercedes Benz Fashion week. Laura’s designs can be found in high-end boutiques from California all the way to Iquitos, Peru. Her highly respected designs and philosophies are gaining more press each day. She is also incorporating her passion for life and nature in her designs in order to give back to the community and land she comes from.