Today we’d like to introduce you to Damia Frangie.
Hi Damia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My name is Damia Frangie, I’m the founder and creative director of “Ayounik”.
Ayounik is an accessories brand, specializing in bracelets that are completely handmade, fun, and colorful!
I’m Venezuelan/Lebanese. That’s why the brand’s name is a word in Arabic that means “Your Eyes”.
I grew up with a big influence of both cultures, a mix between the Middle East and the West, even fashion-wise.
We started on May 2014 in Venezuela and immediately, thanks to the internet, we were selling worldwide.
In less than 6 months after we started (as a company) we were already selling Ayounik in 50 stores around Venezuela and we also had stores buying pieces from us around the world, specially Florida were we soon established.
All of our bracelets are completely handmade. We have high-quality standards. All the materials we use come from Czech Republic. The line takes motifs rooted in what’s trending in pop culture as well as crystals and glass beads for added sparkle, friendship bracelets, and woven beaded pieces.
Fair prices are paid to the producers, it’s part of our DNA to provide workers a stable income that can improve their lives.
The bracelets have become a customer’s favorite around the world.
We’ve been sponsors of the LAFS (Latin American Fashion Summit) 2 times, Cartagena 2019, Miami 2022 and we will be again this year on the Dominican Republic edition on March. We’ve been in charge of creating the admission bracelet pass for more than 600 attendees.
I grew up with a big influence of both cultures, a mix between the Middle East and the West, even fashion-wise. My mom is my fashion icon, even though in our house no one worked in fashion, it was always part of our lives, everyone was very fashion-forward.
I’m a lawyer, but I always knew I wanted to have my own fashion brand, and I’ve been obsess with accessories and bracelets since forever so it was kind of natural.
It’s all about creating Happy accessories for a happier you.
Each piece takes up 1 hour of manual work. Ayounik works with ancestral techniques with the purpose of maintaining them relevant in a world of Fast Fashion.
The best part of it is that even though everything is handmade by artisans it doesn’t mean the brand doesn’t have the capacity of mass production. On the contrary, the brand has an enormous production capacity that’s to an amazing team that is engage with Ayounik’s mission and has been part of the Team through the years.
On 2019 we were honored to see Gloria Estefan in her newest album cover wearing our designs.
On 2020 during the pandemic, we became a Nordstrom Rack vendor, we are the first Venezuelan fashion Jewelry brand to be part of the Nordstrom Group. We started with their website as well as 20 doors nationwide (Miami stores were of course on the list) and 2 months later Ayounik was in 186 Nordstrom rack stores around the US.
A year after we got to Nordstrom Rack, we were please to also become a Nordstrom Vendor (online en 25 stores) and during the holidays of 2021 we spotted are pieces at Nordstrom, Merrick Park Miami 🙂
On 2022 we were at Nordstrom Rack, Nordstrom and we were delighted to become a Bloomingdale’s partner before the summer and after it we were chosen during the holiday season to create 2 exclusive designs for the ocasión of their 159 years celebration, we are the only Venezuelan brand honored with this opportunity and the second Latin-American brand next to agua bendita (Colombian).
Also, on 2022 we create 2 exclusive designs for Nikki Beach Miami and Nikki Beach St Barth for their stores at both of their iconic locations as souvenirs.
We now have bracelets, necklaces, earrings, phone straps, key charms, coasters, etc.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never smooth but it’s always worth it if you do it with passion and ethics. We manage to overcome and become international on our country’s worst crisis.
That’s why I work with some NGOs and also participate in so many events at schools and universities where I’m invited sometimes to tell my story, to share how I took this super little step for others but super huge for us, of selling at the Nordstrom Group as well as Bloomingdales. The way we built this brand over the last 8 years and how we manage to pave new territory within the fashion Jewelry field today, bringing the vibrancy, diversity, and inherent pride of our culture.
So many people need to know it’s possible, need to hear a real-life story, the failures, and the glory. The experience behind the scenes that can be so empowering when you know you are not alone on your struggles, fears, and hopes.
We want our community to know it can be done, to never lose hope and to be certain that hard work pays off. That kind is the new cool and creating new opportunities through or work to those in need. We support college scholarships through the sales of a specific style as well as the Kids Museum of Caracas, a private museum that has been a huge part of the kids’ education and a Window to the world for Kids in Venezuela.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about AYOUNIK?
Ayounik is an accessories brand, specializing in bracelets that are completely handmade, fun, and colorful!
Ayounik creates elevated friendship bracelets, crystal bracelets, and other handcraft styles as well as necklaces perfect for stacking/layering.
In Ayounik, more is more. Colors, Metallics, Swarovski crystals, Czech beads, and everything that sparkles. It’s all about statement Jewelry pieces.
Ayounik is made for everyone who wants to feel happy, hopeful, and inspire. We have people from all ages around the world wearing our pieces. It’s amazing to see how a product on a 60-year-old lady can also be worn by a 6-year-old little girl. Same thing happens with men. We’ve learned they love accessories too and enjoy a good arm party.
Ayounik is a mix-and-match concept were everything we do will look great next to any other Ayounik.
Every piece is a little dose of happiness. we spread joy through our work.
Ayounik is in constant evolution and has always been. It’s part of the brand story and we are in constant innovation
We work with artisans; everything is handmade and fair prices are paid. The materials we use are the highest quality in the market and the producers of our Czech beads ensure environmentally friendly working practices and safe working conditions throughout the production process. Our materials comply with all the major crystal industry standards and legislation like:
• ROHS (restriction on use of a certain hazardous substances)
• SAFETY OF TOYS – EN 71-3 (heavy metal migration limits according to directive 2009/48/EC)
• OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 (Product class II confidence in textiles)
• ASTM F2923
• ASTM F963
• CPSC 16 CFR 1303
CPSIA
We can go from 25$ to 60$ for one piece and then from 50 to 180$ for stacks.
People loves the experience of buying Ayounik because of the company’s reputation of notable products, high quality and durable pieces, and the service features.
What were you like growing up?
I’m Venezuelan Lebanese, born and raised I Caracas but from a family 100% Lebanese. My dad is an emigrant, he came from
Lebanon on the late ’70s. My mom was born in Venezuela but my grandparents are also Lebanese emigrants who came on a boat to Venezuela in the ’50s. My mom went back to Lebanon to school as a little girl and came back to Venezuela as a teenager.
I was born and raised in the middle of 2 worlds, being Venezuelan and being Lebanese defines me completely and has an enormous influence on my work as a designer and my fashion sense.
I was always energetic, outgoing, loving colors glitter, and sparkles and my grandparents used to call me “chispita” meaning “little sparkle”
Pricing:
- Stating 15-20$
- Higher prices 60$
- We can go from 25$ to 60$ for one piece and then from 50 to 180$ for stacks.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ayounik.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ayounik?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: Ayounikstyle
Image Credits
Marvin Vicente
