Vanessa Arelle

Vanessa Arelle (born 1975) is a London-based contributor for Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America. She is the former head of cultural affairs for Mexico in the United Kingdom, a strategic advisor, creative director and early stage startup investor. She has served on boards of various non-profit organizations in United States, United Kingdom and Mexico.

Early life

Arelle was born in Juarez, Mexico on July 11, 1975, the oldest of three children. She attended elementary in Juarez, secondary school in El Paso, Texas and later attended St George’s School in Montreux, Switzerland, graduating in 1993. She also attended Babson College, Babson Park, Massachusetts, graduated with bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing in 1997.

Career

Early career

Since 1997, Arelle has been actively involved in philanthropic, fundraising and social development projects, many of them with an emphasis on global outreach. In 1998, she founded Chile y Chocolate, a company specializing in the promotion of Mexican contemporary art and culture in Madrid, Spain. In 2000, Arelle worked for the State of Veracruz setting up a satellite office called La Casa de Veracruz, promoting tourism, commercial and cultural projects.

Mexican Embassy to the United Kingdom

From 2011 to 2015, Arelle acted as the head of Cultural Affairs for Mexico in the United Kingdom. During that time, her responsibilities included the promotion of Mexican art, culture, cinema, fashion and gastronomy in the United Kingdom. During 2012 and 2014, she organized Day of the Dead festivals across the United Kingdom. In 2014, she developed the Year of Mexico in the United Kingdom 2015, which was designed to celebrate Mexican culture, arts, heritage and tradition.

Imagine Peace

During the London 2012 Festival, which coincided with the 2012 Olympics, Arelle Directed partnered Yoko Ono for a public art project called Imagine Peace in partnership with the British Broadcasting Corporation and Art Production Fund, which featured a 70-second video on 22 large screens across the United Kingdom with the word “Imagine Peace” translated into 24 languages and the John Lennon 1971 song Imagine.:// project included a pop-up shop at London´s iconic store Selfridges on Oxford St. with proceeds reserved for Art Production Fund.

Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America

Since 2015, Arelle has been a contributor for Vogue Mexico and Vogue Latin America. Arelle writes for both the print magazine and its digital platform with features and interviews of inspiring women, events, culture, travel and wellbeing.

TeenZapp

In early 2016, Arelle founded the social enterprise Teenzapp, providing resources to teens about taboo subjects difficult to address at home, at school, or with peers, helping to promote safe and healthy development.” Some of the topics include identity, anxiety, bullying and sexuality. Mexico, Spain and Latin American. An app is expected to launch in late 2017.

Art

Arelle has served on several art committees, and has expressed a particular appreciation of surrealism because “it’s so personal and open to interpretation.”. Arelle was inspired by her uncle, an art collector in New York, and bought her first piece at age 16. It was after she attended the art fair Frieze London in 2005 that she started to build a collection.

Collaborating Efforts

Arelle has been an advisor, board member and collaborator with various non-profits supporting sustainability, equality, human rights and culture. (Leading Culture Destintations Awards 2015). Those groups include Fashion Revolution; the London Business School’s Out of Business Club; Art Production Fund; Women for Women International; David Roberts Art Foundation; Six Degrees Citizen Space, Common Action Forum and the Legatum Institute.

Other Activities

In 2015, Arelle served as the head of international relations for solar company Ilioss Mexico, helping broker the sale of the company to Solar City (now Tesla Energy) in a merger that opened Solar City’s first international expansion outside of the United States.

Personal life

Arelle holds both UK and Mexican citizenship. She has two children. She has lived in Juarez, Montreux, Boston, New York City, Mexico City, Madrid, Devon and London.