To celebrate International Women's Day we want to highlight all of our amazing female creators a bit more than usual. One of them is Izabel Minas, founder of the jewelry brand Izabel Display. Learn more about Izabel, her brand, and her thoughts about being a young female entrepreneur in the industry, in the exclusive interview.
When did you first become interested in design?
I think it all started when I was quite young. My mom had a fashion store with clothing and interior design, so ever since I was around 10 years old I’ve been quite involved in her business. This made me interested in staying up-to-date with all upcoming trends, and I have always been following what’s new and trendy in fashion.
How would you describe your own personal design style?
My design style is quite fun, different, and colorful, but also quite trendy and modern. Even though my designs are modern and trendy, I would also say that they are quite classic and go well with a lot of basic outfits, as well as with show-stopping party looks. The most fun part about my designs is that whatever style you have, you can combine your pieces to create your own personal look.
What, according to you, are the advantages and challenges of being a female designer?
I would say that the greatest advantage for me as a female designer is that I get the chance to get to work with a lot of other female creators in the industry, which for me is a true honor. I haven’t met any direct disadvantages of being a female in the industry, but I would say that my young age can sometimes be a bit of a disadvantage. When being a young entrepreneur, some people tend to have a hard time trusting you and taking you and your business seriously.
Where do you find inspiration for your ideas or designs?
It depends on what ideas I’m looking for. If it’s about creating content, ideas for Instagram, and marketing ideas, I usually get inspiration from inspiring people that I follow on Instagram, photographers I follow, and people that create cool content. If it’s about getting inspiration for new designs, I tend to look at my previous collections to see what new pieces that would be cool to add and that could easily be combined with the existing collections. I also get a lot of inspiration from my customers! I love asking them what they would like to see me add to my collections, and usually have that in mind when creating new collections and pieces.
If you could give one piece of advice to young female designers, what would it be?
My best advice to young female designers would probably be to keep pushing and to believe in their idea. One and a half years ago this was just my hobby and now it’s my full-time job! So never stop believing in your idea, keep pushing even when it’s tough, and make the best of every situation.
What changes have you seen in the jewelry industry since you founded your brand?
The changes that I have already seen within the industry are that a lot of new jewelry brands are popping up, which I personally think is super fun! With all these new brands, people get a lot more options, different styles, and collections to choose from. My design style is a bit different from a lot of other brands, and it’s fun to see that people appreciate that I design something a bit different from the basics that we’re used to seeing.
Do you think women get the recognition they deserve in the industry for good design?
Yes, I believe so. I’ve been in the fashion industry for quite some time now, so, I usually know the female designers behind each brand, especially when it comes to Scandinavian brands. However, I don’t think that it’s that common that the final customer knows exactly who has designed the piece that they are purchasing. With that in mind, I think it would be fun to give female creators more recognition when it comes to designing and creating.
Do you have any specific women within the industry that you admire and get inspiration from?
A female creator I really admire is Maria Nilsdotter. I think she has really succeeded with the branding of her brand - as soon as you see one of her jewelry pieces on someone you can tell that she is the female designer behind the piece! Finally, I think it’s super cool to see how her brand has evolved over the past years.
What does it mean to you to be a part of Seezona’s platform, among a curated selection of talented female designers?
It’s truly amazing to be a part of Seezona’s platform as they highlight smaller brands and emerging female designers. I’m very honored and proud to be a part of it!
Read more interviews here.
