When you come across true talent, skill, and style, you want to spread the word. I found Nadiia’s vivid beaded jewelry online, and immediately knew she was an artisan. She sources high quality materials, and her handcrafted pieces are bold and distinctive. The materials amplify and transform the color, enhancing the richness of each piece. I personally couldn’t resist, and own several rings and a pair of earrings . . . so far! You can find her at _bijou_n and bijouua.etsy.com.
DC: What is your favorite color, and why?
Nadiia: My personal favorites are all shades of blue and green, from deep and dark to light and delicate. These are the colors I most often choose for myself.
At the same time, for me there is a big difference between personal color preferences and choosing color for my jewelry designs. Because my work is not only about me. It’s about the people who wear my jewelry: bright, bold, ready to stand out from the crowd. They use jewelry as a tool for self-expression. These people inspire me, and when working on my designs, I can fall in love with the most unexpected color combinations.
DC: When and how did you become a jewelry designer?
Nadiia: My Etsy jewelry shop is 7 years old, but the path to creating it started a little earlier.
I have always loved making things with my hands, and there was always some creative hobby in my life. For a long time I was into crochet: clothing, accessories, toys.
My journey into jewelry began with the silk tassel earring trend. They were very popular around 2016-2018, and of course I wanted a pair. But I wanted to get creative and make them myself, and that’s how it all started.
My earrings were a hit with my friends, I made a few pairs for them, then posted photos on Instagram, and they caught the attention of other people.
From there came a lot of experimenting with different techniques and designs. At some point I discovered jewelry with eyes, unusual, a little strange, and I was completely captivated. Since then, eyes have become the main theme in my shop: earrings and brooches.
And your order, Pamela, inspired me to create a small collection of rings with eyes, which is what I am working on right now.
DC: When choosing colors for your art, what inspires you?
Nadiia: What inspires me most are bright and bold people who are not afraid to stand out and attract attention. I always notice such people on the street or on social media. When I see someone dressed in vivid colors, it always lifts my mood. I pay attention to how they combine colors, prints, and clothing elements. And when I choose colors for my work, I think about these people, about what color combinations in jewelry could help them express themselves.
That said, I don’t only mean fashion bloggers on social media and stylish fashion lovers I meet on the street. Ordinary people who choose bright colors for themselves inspire me just as much. For example, one of my earring designs was inspired by an elderly woman I met at the post office. She was wearing a coat in a deep shade of green and a fuchsia beret. And the idea to make earrings in that color combination came to me immediately.
DC: Collaboration is a unique way of creating. What’s your favorite part about working with clients?
Nadiia: It truly is a unique way of creating. For me, it’s very important to understand what the client wants, so that the result of our collaboration meets, and ideally exceeds, their expectations. That’s why communication is always at the heart of every custom order. I ask questions, send photos of the materials I’ve selected and photos of the process. Sometimes I create a rough image of the piece using AI, and in some cases I can even make two versions to choose from, if time allows.
It’s a challenging but very rewarding process. The greatest value of this kind of collaboration for me is a deeper understanding of my clients, what they like, what interests them, what they are looking for. Many designs created this way later become popular in my Etsy shop. I often use them as a starting point for developing new pieces.
Through this kind of collaboration I always gain inspiration, new ideas, and a sense of direction for where to take my work next.
DC: If you were instructing a class of young jewelry designers, what would you tell them to remember?
Nadiia: I’m not a big fan of giving advice to others. We are all very different, and each person follows their own creative path with their own vision and at their own pace.
I’d rather share what I would tell myself if I could go back in time. And honestly, it’s advice I still give myself today: don’t be afraid to create unusual designs and experiment with colors. People are drawn to unique, unexpected things. This understanding came to me through collaborating with my clients. Some of their ideas were so surprising that I could never have imagined anyone looking for something like that.
For example, the large eye rings I created for you, Pamela. I truly think they are incredible. But at first, I simply couldn’t believe you wanted rings that big. Or the moth ring I recently made for an Instagram fashion blogger. I would never have thought to make something like that on my own. That’s exactly why I keep reminding myself: don’t be afraid of unusual ideas, they might turn out to be the most interesting ones.
DC: How does color influence your life?
Nadiia: Color truly helps me get through difficult times. I am from Ukraine, and my country is at war right now. I noticed that during this period I want to bring more bright colors into my life, and I find joy, positivity and strength in that. Color is one of the tools that helps me not lose heart and maintain my inner balance.