Jewelry maker shines on her own

Jewelry maker shines on her own

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

If jewelry entrepreneur Elizabeth Wahyu was cast from the usual
rich kid mold, she would be sitting pretty in one of daddy's
firms or doing much of nothing like Paris Hilton.

The 30-year-old mother had another thing in mind for her
career, something less lucrative than the family's export import
business.

In love with handicrafts since she was a kid, Elizabeth set
about creating and designing artificial jewelry, and formed her
own label, Elizabeth Wahyu Accessories. It is now hailed by
fashion designers and the fashionista alike.

"I did join the family business after I graduated. But then I
had a baby, which occupied a lot of my time. The alternative then
was to set up my own business," said the graduate of the School
of Business Administration and Marketing at Loyola Marymount
University in Los Angeles.

The initial project was not jewelry, however, but a short-
course center on arts and handicrafts called "blueberry", that
has around 20 classes ranging from crocheting, knitting, pottery,
arranging beads to watercolor painting.

"I wonder why kids today are not into arts and crafts.
Whereas in my time, mothers were very good with their hands and
taught us how to be creative. Children today live from one course
to another, playing games and becoming too consumptive," she
said.

"At the end, they become less creative. And doing those little
things trains us not just to be skillful, but good in problem
solving."

Two years ago, Elizabeth began to make accessories for sale.
Her romantic, feminine designs were a hit with consumers, and
demand for her products increased.

From working solo, Elizabeth needed to hire employees and she
finally opened a store in Kemang, South Jakarta, next to the
course center.

After her creations appeared on the fashion pages of a noted
women's magazine, she was asked to distribute her products in a
department store chain.

The products are divided into two lines -- her signature line
sold at her boutique and the funkier, teen-oriented line
available at the department store.

Her designs do not have a heavy ethnic influence, but are more
modern with an Asian touch, shown from the stones.

"My style tends to be more feminine. If the stone is large,
then the color must be softer. I keep up to date with the trends,
but we must have our own style," she said.

While designing her signature line is more personally
satisfying, creating accessories for the teenage market is more
fun, she said.

Materials for her products range from semiprecious stones to
pearls, paper flower and beads. Most of the stones are imported
from other Asian countries as they are cheaper than here.

"It's ironic and unfortunate, because this is such a rich
country but I have to go as far as China and Thailand to find the
materials. I went to Martapura (South Kalimantan) to look for
pearls, but it was much more expensive even than Jakarta, while
the price has to be competitive."

It is not just the price, she added, but also the quality that
is far behind, and the mentality of the artisans who refuse to
try unusual or more difficult designs than they are used to.

"I ordered some silver jewelry from Yogyakarta, but they
didn't want to do it, even when I offered more money."

Elizabeth also said the government was not supportive of small
enterprises, unlike in China and Thailand. She noted the customs
duties to pick up her imported materials at the airport.

"In China, for instance, there is this building which sells
beads only. With the cheap labor there, no wonder their products
are so competitive," she said.

Competition in the local market is pretty tight these days,
according to Elizabeth, and copycats are rampant.

"But as long as the products are distinctive, and the quality
is good, people will like them and look for them," she said.

With a staff of 20, Elizabeth produces some 100 to 200 pieces
of jewelry a month, with five to six pieces of each design in
order to maintain exclusivity.

"I never produce the same model, unless there is a high demand
for it," she said, adding that prices range from Rp 25,000 up to
Rp 4 million.

When it comes to accessories, she said, local customers were
pretty up on trends, and not overly brand-minded either.

"What can cost hundreds of dollars in a Neiman Marcus store,
for instance, will only cost you a quarter of it here with
similar quality. A lot of foreigners buy my accessories and bring
them back to their countries," Elizabeth said.

Business-wise, she said, creating handmade accessories is not
that profitable. "If you don't love the job, then it'll a real
struggle. But I love it, so I'm happy doing it."

It is important, she said, to love what you do and not give up
when there is little profit.

"You still have to set a target, but don't easily give up.
When I started the business (course), there was only one student
in the first four months. And then there was the flood. But I
didn't give up."

Now, the course center has around 900 graduates, and her label
continues to expand.

"It's all going back to us, we have to offer something unique
and distinctive."