Devoted to revolutionizing affordable jewelry, Dorothy Deng, founder and designer of Flaire and Co. creates gorgeous hypoallergenic, waterproof pieces that are specifically made for everyday wear. After Deng grew tired of low-quality jewelry that turned her skin green and irritated, she turned one idea into a huge empire. Flaire and Co. produces more than 200 water-resistant styles of jewelry that can be worn daily. I had the pleasure of speaking to Deng to learn more about her remarkable one-of-a-kind brand and the captivating story of how it all began.
Thank you for joining us. Before we start, could you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
Of course! My name is Dorothy Deng, and I am the founder of Flaire & Co. I graduated Syracuse University in 2020 with degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Entrepreneurship. My passion for starting businesses started when I was a child. In fact, my first experience building a “business” was when I was in second grade. I saw an opportunity to sell playing cards that the whole school was obsessed with but couldn’t procure, so I dragged my grandparents to the local store and had them buy them in bulk for me. I became the supplier to the schools’ unending demand, and spun a profit in no time. This, however, may have been a bit outside of the rules of my school, so I was forced to return all the money I made back to my classmates. That was the first of many business failures that led me to Flaire!
Tell us about your brand Flaire & Co and what brought you to this career path?
I wish I could say that Flaire was a very well-planned business, but it really just started on a whim. In the middle of quarantine, I was living back at home trying to find a job right out of college. During one of my intense scrolls on TikTok, I had the “brilliant” idea of starting a jewelry business while having no experience with jewelry whatsoever. I found through my research on TikTok that there wasn’t a jewelry brand that was offering good quality jewelry at an affordable price – especially jewelry that you could leave on in the shower, pool, at the gym or even just going about your day without having to worry about it tarnishing! Therefore, I decided to provide that option for all the people who were sick of the affordable jewelry that had let them down in the past.
You have a gorgeous collection. What are your most popular pieces? Do you have any personal favorites and what makes them stand out to you?
Thank you so much. Most of our customers LOVE our earrings because of their affordability. Our earrings start at $5 and are almost all waterproof. Aside from the earrings, our best-selling necklace is our Perfectly Dainty Initial Necklace, which is a dainty chain with a pendant adorned with the initial of someone you love. Personally though, I love our Mother of Pearl jewelry pieces! The Isabel Necklace and the Ava Mother of Pearl Huggies are such classically beautiful pieces that anyone can wear, and also make amazing gifts to friends and moms.
Where do you get your inspiration for new pieces?
I absolutely love traveling around the world, and when I’m in new places, I like to see the world through the lens of jewelry. When I come across a chair with a beautifully designed backing or a doorknob with an intricate animal statue, I will take pictures for my inspiration album. I also love drawing inspiration through artifacts at museums around the world. I truly believe that jewelry is one of those things that transcends time. A jewelry piece made in 200 B.C. can still inspire modern takes on traditional jewelry.
How do you find the balance of delivering high-quality jewelry and making it affordable for a wide range of consumers?
I think as a business, it’s hard to find that balance between profit and making good products. But I truly think that making jewelry that people love will eventually turn into profit. We take our customer feedback very seriously, so we’re constantly making changes to make sure we are truly making products that are in line with what our customers expect. As a small business, it’s easy to make changes instantly, while making sure we’re not greedy. We never price our products based on what we think our customers are willing to pay but base our prices on the production costs.
Anything else you would like our readers to know?
There are so many more exciting things in store for Flaire! We’re trying to break the industry standard and be more than jewelry, so be on the lookout.
Accessible to all, prices are topped at $30. Shop the extraordinary line at https://flaireaccessories.com/
