Today we’d like to introduce you to Aleksandra Sivokoneva.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I graduated with a dual degree in Fashion design & fashion merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology. I studied knitwear in Milan, Italy for one year. My first jobs in the fashion industry were internships at the high fashion houses Zac Posen and Carolina Herrera, in NYC.
After graduating from university I accepted a designer position at a startup then, Marissa Webb, a womenswear contemporary brand, where I spent 4 years implementing the designs for woven and knit categories as well as shoes and accessories. Due to the startup nature of the company I was heavily involved in many areas such as social media creatives, manufacturing, sourcing, and styling to name a few.
After MW, I accepted another senior designer position at a Miami based high-end label, called ALEXIS. There, I grew as a designer and a creative, learning from the cofounders of the brand, who was a huge industry success. At that time I was not ready to permanently stay in Miami, so I decided to accept a senior design role in NY. The line is called ML Monique Lhuillier of JS Group. It was a contemporary spin on the luxury label Monique Lhullier.
By 2019, I decided to explore the idea of starting my own business but did not quite have enough financial resources nor time to have a full-time job. So I decided to freelance and slowly embark on the journey of entrepreneurs. However, the pandemic happened and the fashion world froze.
I wanted to distract myself from what seemed then a total chaos, so I decided to occupy my mind and hands with making one-of-a-kind clothes, jewelry, and accessories. When I started sharing my process and experience through the social media world, it was very well received not only by friends and family but strangers who started to follow along my journey. I thought I wanted to give my creative journey a name. It was then that JOA Diary was born. JOA Diary is an acronym for “journey of Amore” or simply put, a love and passion project that kept me going and inspired me through the pandemic.
The pandemic affected NY pretty hard. I did not see how it would be possible to start a business there. So I decided to take a leap of faith and move to Miami, Florida, where life seemed to carry on and I was able to start my small business with the help of an angel investor.
Today it has evolved into an online business, with limited edition drops of different product categories, produced ethically, in Downtown Miami, Italy, and Peru.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road, launching during the pandemic.
It was hard to convince people to purchase things of contemporary price point as well as that they needed it in the middle of a crisis. The price could not be lower, because of the small production quantities, artisan made. The only way to lower the price is to produce larger amounts. But because of limited funds, I could not produce larger quantities that would have helped reduce the cost of making.
Marketing was a huge struggle, since it is not my expertise, and again, lack of proper funding. It required a lot of technical knowledge that called for a professional, which I could not afford so I did it on my own. I took online marketing courses and tutorials to be able to run the ads on my own.
I designed and developed my website myself as well. To this day, I manage all logistical, design, website, and production processes on my own, which is not ideal.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I have an online shop called JOA Diary, www.joa-diary.com which focuses on ethically made, limited edition product drops of apparel, jewelry, and accessories categories. At this stage, my business is super tiny, and I still do everything by myself from designing, sample making, marketing, production, and more. Wearing multiple if not all hats is essential as an entrepreneur.
What sets me apart from others is the model of limited edition quantities, so it truly feels like very rare and special pieces that not so many people will have. It’s perfect for gifting. I call it the gifts of love because all my products are made by hand with love.
Currently, I make and sell the semi-fine jewelry line that I have on my site. It’s handcrafted in Rome with authentic blue and white sapphires as well as fiery brilliant-cut rubies. Each product is produced with only about 10 pcs.
I also developed a line of crochet raffia and cotton resort wear pieces. Even though I designed and made the first samples by hand here in Miami, I produced them in Peru with an indigenous group of women. Also a limited edition.
I am proud of the quality of all my creations, eco-friendly materials as well as packaging. The jewelry packaging paper is made by hand in France, and I seal the packaging with wax here myself before I ship the orders. My packaging is plastic free.
I am proud to collaborate with artisans and contribute to the success of their small businesses. I mainly work with women. I am also proud to avoid producing in China and focus on quality rather than quantity.
How do you define success?
I have seen people on the street wearing my dresses, especially when I worked for Marissa Webb and Alexis.
It felt good to see women of all shapes and colors, looking beautiful, confident and happy wearing my creations, and that is probably the best compliment to my work. That is the definition of success.
Pricing:
- Semi-fine jewelry $200 up
- Costume jewelry $100 up
- Crochet raffia hats $135
- Crochet Peruvian cotton bikinis $175
- Silk dresses $350 and up
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joa-diary.com
- Instagram: @joa_diary
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wip.joad/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/joa_diary/
Image Credits
Irena Rova
