Good afternoon. First of all, we are very pleased to interview the founder of a Ukrainian jewelry brand that is successfully sold all over the world. Secondly, on behalf of the editorial team, or rather its female half, thank you for the stylish jewelry you create. Today, there are a lot of jewelry brands on the market, from luxury to mass, but so few unique designs. Thank you for your creativity.
Eka, you are the founder and chief designer of the brand. Each piece of jewelry is unique and created by hand. How long does it take, on average, to create one piece?
Good afternoon, I am very pleased to talk to you. I would like to say that, first of all, a lot of time is spent on creating the collection itself. Sometimes it can take more than a week, even a month. Because the collection needs to be created, invented, and felt. You need to understand what it will look like, and then you need to put together all the technical aspects. Creating the collection itself takes a lot of time, maybe up to a month. When the collection is created, everything is much easier. There is a technical understanding of the assembly, and it can take from an hour to two to make one piece of jewelry, for example.
Your website says that the main ingredient of your jewelry is love. Where do you get inspiration and ideas for new collections?
Everything is very simple here. Without love for your work and without inspiration and fulfillment, it is impossible to be creative at all. That’s why love is the main ingredient.
Where do I get inspiration? From anything and everything—from my mood, nature, my children, communicating with people, and sometimes from new acquaintances. That is, I am filled with energy, and inspiration comes to me from almost everything around me. This is not some special program inside me where I am programmed to receive inspiration at this moment. It generally happens quite unexpectedly. It can even appear when I just pick up a stone. That is, I work with a variety of stones, and when I pick up a stone, I feel how I want it to look and get inspired to create a new collection.
I read in one of your interviews for an American publication your story about how you left the country. You talked about how difficult it was emotionally and how scared you and your children were. I admire you for finding the strength to be a working mom and continue to develop your business. What advice would you give to those Ukrainians who do not find the strength to continue their business and make their dreams come true?
I want to tell you frankly that I respect and am proud of every Ukrainian woman.
Because I understand very well how difficult it is to be a woman. First of all, I created a brand for women. And the main philosophy of my brand is the balance of energy, which I transmit through the union of various materials with each other.
What can I say to all women? Do not stop; move towards your dreams, despite the obstacles! Because obstacles only make us stronger.
How did I feel? And how did my children feel?
Well, in general, I want to say that children are an engine, without which it is impossible. I want to say that it was very hard emotionally. I can’t even tell you how I felt.
At some point, I realized that I had to pull myself together and do something. I needed to set an example for my girls that wherever you are, you are there. And that’s all you need.
This is the foundation that we have to give our children, because absolutely different things happen in life. And the most important thing is that a person has to realize that the main thing is to be at home, wherever you are.
I love my girls very much, and I would do almost anything for them; that’s all you need to know.
The main rule of EkaJewels is: no rules! The more different combinations and materials, the better. This rule attracts and fascinates. Describe your client; who is your brand for?
Yes, the main rule of my brand is the absence of any rules at all. I convey this rule through a combination of sometimes incompatible materials, such as rough steel chains, pearls, stones, and even fabrics. I mix everything together. This is, by the way, about the energies I was talking about. In general, everything has energy. It’s about the balance between energies—between fabrics, materials, chains, and pearls—because everything in balance gives a very beautiful result.
My client is a confident girl, a woman who is not afraid to be herself. She is very active and can express herself through jewelry. That is, she wants to be noticeable because my jewelry is accentuated and it attracts attention. You need to be brave to wear them. Therefore, my client is a self-confident woman who knows what she wants, where she is going, and clearly understands what she needs from life.
I want to go back to the personal questions. Now you live in two countries: the United States and Ukraine. How did you cope with the move? Did you feel that the US could become your second home?
I want to tell you that we now live in two countries. How did I cope with the move? The same way as everyone else. It was a very stressful period when everyone was leaving. Everyone was stressed, very depressed, and very nervous. And I was no exception. I can’t say whether the United States has become my home or not, but now it is as it is; now we live in two countries. You see, I can’t live without Ukraine; it’s in our hearts. I was born in Georgia, but I built my life in Ukraine, so it is forever in my heart and soul.
How do Americans perceive Ukrainian brands and entrepreneurs from Ukraine? Is it difficult to bring a brand to the US market?
I would like to note that I started developing my brand in Ukraine, and literally a few days before the war, I opened a showroom, which I both opened and closed. I want to say that when I came to the States, despite my very difficult emotional state, I continued to develop my brand. It’s not easy; it’s a completely new market, but I’m doing what I can and how I can; I’m not sitting still; I’m not stopping. More than a year has passed, but despite the fact that I am new to the market, I believe that success is possible. And I will continue to strive for it.
Now I want to say that I have jewelry collections that are sold in Ukraine in the showroom “Free Me”. I have an online store that I created, where you can also buy jewelry. I have an Instagram page, which I actively manage and always show something new.
Where do you think the EkaJewels brand should go? What are your plans for the future?
Where do I need to go? Closer to women around the world. I want every woman, in every corner of the universe, to wear EkaJewels jewelry, to be filled with harmony, and to glow with joy!
