Portrait Indie hipster meets Hollywood glamour

DANNIJO jewelry rocks

Founded by the New York-based sisters in 2008 with $40,000 from savings and a small family loan, Dannijo has fast become a name to watch in jewelry design. It now sells in more than a dozen countries. All the pieces are handmade in New York and the sisters work closely together, their two distinct approaches rubbing off on each other during the creative process, producing their signature seamless melding of raw, indie chic with polished, uptown elegance.

Their eclectic and colorful styles are an exciting synergy of indie hipster attitude and old Hollywood glamour, an aesthetic that can be seen in their hugely popular Sparo cuff, which they describe on their website as “a perfectly ornate, psychedelic mess”. The organic, handmade quality of their work is illustrated by the fact that no two cuffs are ever exactly the same. It’s this unique quality that pushes their jewelry into the wearable art category.

For their latest collection, available at SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™ concept stores, they wanted to focus on the juxtaposition of crystals with rough, rugged chains, creating a ‘rapper chic’ aesthetic. The partnership with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS is fundamental to the Snyders’ aesthetic. “SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS are timeless: we’ve used them from day one. They’re always coming up with new colors and shapes that complement the edgy chainwork that we do,” says 26-year-old Danielle. “Swarovski is synonymous with innovation as well as heritage – it’s been used by top designers for more than 100 years. We love being able to use the new elements with new finishes each season.”

The two women and their designs have featured in many magazines and television programs, including Inc. Magazine’s ‘30 under 30: America’s Coolest Entrepreneurs’. “One of my biggest achievements is co-founding an organization to help a small community in Kenya in 2006. We raised $100,000 in a year, which showed me the potential in the entrepreneurial world, leading us to found Dannijo back in New York.”

It is a sign of their far-sighted ambition that the first outlet they targeted was Bergdorf Goodman. “Everything’s a first step,” says Jodie, 29. “Ours was to call up Bergdorf Goodman and meet in person. They gave us the standard rejection: they liked our style; they could tell we had good taste; but it was too edgy. But we came back about a week later with a line tailored for them, they bought up the whole collection!”

Their hometown provides them with endless inspiration for their work. “We handcraft all our pieces in New York,” says Jodie. “They represent our different styles – Danielle is more bohemian, rock ‘n’ roll, and I have a more classical sensibility. We design our jewelry to be worn day into night. What’s fun about jewelry is that you can always use it to change your mood, and you can wear a piece in so many different ways to suit how you feel.

“We love working with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS, because they enable us to create edgy yet timeless designs. The design process is so collaborative; besides, their store is beautiful – an avant-garde space that’s a great way to showcase all the jewelry.”

For anyone still unfamiliar with the sisters’ brilliant work, head down to your nearest SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™ concept store see it in all its glory; or enjoy browsing at the SWAROVSKI CRYSTALLIZED™ eShop.

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