The houseofaceonline.com team is at Dena Jewelries, makers of Dena Hand-Crafted Beads as part of efforts to connect customers with the backstory of Nigerian brands whose products have high quality. We listen to the Founder of Dena, Mrs Edna Ubeku who is hard at work with her team of bead-makers to craft the perfect jewelry piece. We notice that she’s hand-on, not just leaving the pieces to her team to create but actually sitting with them around a table which looks like it started life as a dining table but is now a table upon which beauty comes to life.
“I started making beads as a hobby. I am a Teacher and I worked full-time as a class teacher, a head teacher and a school owner in Lagos, Nigeria. I taught myself how to make beads by buying several books on beading, bought several DVD’s on beading styles, and downloaded several apps and videos on my andriod phone. I also attended some beading classes in Lagos, Nigeria, but over time, my teachers started asking me to teach them how to do certain things. I do still attend specialized classes for specific designs but I’m treated like a peer now.
We ask Mrs Edna how she manages to be a full-time school owner, take care of her family and still create beautiful jewelry pieces for her large clientele base. “I really don’t know. Sometimes I close from work, head home, take care of my family’s needs, complete pieces which have been dropped off from the previous night only wake up in the early hours of the morning or even start new pieces based on inspiration. My husband is the best! He’s very supportive of what I do. I guess I have passion so I don’t see it as work. God has been graceful and I’m able to do a lot over weekends as well”.
Our next question is where she gets the bead-stones from. ‘I get beads from a variety of places. Luckily, the bead and jewelry market is expanding here in Nigeria and I make sure I get precious & semi-precious stones every time I can. What that means is that my customers enjoy a unique blend and variety. For instance we can create a necklace with components to create a stand-out unique design piece you cannot find anywhere else. I make regular pieces for casual wear as well as bespoke pieces for weddings and special events.
On how financially rewarding Dena Jewelries has been, she opens up to us telling that it is very lucrative and exposes her brand to other aspects of fashion, culture and beauty. Dena makes bead-based bracelets, necklaces, earrings and rings for easy-wear, office-wear, as well as luxury customized fashion pieces. Each piece is meticulously put together and hand-crafted to perfection. Prices range from N500 (Five hundred naira) to N350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand naira).
Reblogged this on Mayowa's World.