Erika Mazzei is the owner and designer of Aglow, a jewellery, clothing and accessories company that specialises in beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces. Designing and creating the jewellery with her own hands, she suffuses her free-spirited energy into each unique bracelet and necklace. Erika tells us about the vision behind Aglow, and how she turned a weekend hobby into a thriving business.

How did you start designing jewellery?

I started in 2016. I was looking for my newest hobby. I had tried knitting but realistically it’s so hot here in Cayman that the art form of knitting can be lost. So, I traded in the needles for beads. I purchased some beads and some stretch cord, watched a lot of YouTube tutorials, and created my first bracelets. I later added necklaces. It wasn’t until the end of June 2017 that I held my first sale and started attending local farmers’ markets monthly.

Tell us about your design style.

I’d describe my style as bohemian. I love using bright colours as well as muted earth tones, but all of my designs have that free-spirited vibe which I’d like to think is Aglow’s signature.

What inspired the name Aglow?

I wanted a name that was representative of personal power and inner light. Aglow was so fitting. That was simple and beautiful to me.

What inspires you to create?

I get a lot of inspiration from travel. I’ve always felt that every place has its own unique colour palette – whether it’s desert landscape, lush forests or colour coordinated buildings. I also pull from cultures – last year I did a collection that was inspired by Dia de los Muertos.

I’m also inspired by stones and crystals that evoke feelings or energies. I want the wearer to feel that energy when they have on that particular Aglow piece.

 

What are your favourite materials to use? How do you source them?

Right now, I’m loving wood and natural stones; the combination lends itself to a very organic look and feel. On the other hand, I’m certain that I was born with glitter in my veins. I love the sparkle of Austrian and Swarovski crystals.

When travelling, I’m always in search of a bead shop, it’s a bit compulsive. I found a bead shop in Rome selling Murano glass beads, so those are being used in designs.

I also have a few suppliers whose quality I trust, and who I purchase from regularly.

Since you started your business, what is the most important lesson you’ve learned?

Patience. That’s something that I don’t find very easy – I’m quite an impatient person. But, realistically, being patient helps you to step back and think about whether something is actually the best business decision, or just emotions. Sometimes you want to be like, “this is my baby”. It’s hard!

You’ll soon be adding clothing and accessories to your online store.  

Yes, patience comes in there too. It can be hard to select clothes that aren’t necessarily my style, but that someone else might like. I’m choosing pieces that are complimentary to the jewellery, but also to Cayman. There will be a lot of cool, flowy styles.

What would you say has been the most exciting moment of this journey so far?

The very first sale that I did. I did a pop-up. It was a big leap – I’d been making all of this jewellery and had it in my house for months just sitting there. Finally my husband said, “You have to do something with this,” so I did a sale. I remember being so excited that people came, people bought stuff, and even people who couldn’t make it asked if they could reserve and purchase pieces later. That was probably the first time that I realized that people actually liked my work. People actually wanted to buy this stuff that I’d been making for months!

How do you find balancing a full-time job with running a business?

I’m juggling three jobs at the moment, so it can be really hard. But generally, creating is my outlet – I never looked at it as being work. I find it really relaxing. Some days I do have to get real with myself and schedule, but for the most part production days are meditative.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to start their own business?

Just go for it. On a small island, people can sometimes get caught up in thinking about the competition. Just go for it, find your niche and just make it happen.

 

You can find Erika’s work at www.aglowcayman.com.