The Hespera Story
HESPERA is a fashion jewelry brand that takes the most beautiful natural materials available and creates stunning statement pieces that tug on the veil between the worlds of Art and Fashion. Taking advantage of the world’s finest semi-precious materials, no two pieces are alike. Unique and exuberant, every piece of HESPERA jewelry doesn’t just enhance the statement, it makes it.
Eric Ruyak has been designing jewelry for over a decade. Blending his knack for enhancing personal expression with his interest in visual art, he began producing jewelry for friends and family, and ultimately acquired more requests than he had time to fill. After graduation, he kept creating pieces for a private clientele base. After years of experience with commissioned works, Eric launched HESPERA in 2011 to allow for a larger audience to experience his personal version of Art and Fashion. Hespera is currently sold in hundreds of boutiques and department stores, and is a fashion jewelry manufacturer for Anthropologie, Nordstrom, Free People and other stores. Hespera has also sold to celebrity clients and has provided pieces for shows like Game of Thrones, Handmaid's Tale, How to Get Away with Murder, and In Treatment.
Eric is also an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and initiatives, as well as the survivors of childhood sexual abuse. He can be found discussing his own experiences and how to support victims and change the system of violence against vulnerable people, especially children. His story has been told in various publications, including Vanity Fair.