Vancouver Fashion eZine - Online Magazine | Jewellery Designer

"The 'BLING IT ON FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE' Campaign $1 from every item sold is donated to support educational and development programs that empower people to live productive and independent lives."

This note on Layla Jaffer's contact page says so much about the designer. A true world citizen, she was born in Tanzania, raised in Kenya, and at 15 went to school in North Wales where she completed her "A" levels in Art and French Literature. In England she studied Fashion Design at Bristol Polytechnic (originally intending to go into Fashion Illustration), followed by a diploma in Hotel Management from L'univercite de Clermont-Ferrand in France, then immigrated to North Vancouver with her family at the age of 21.

Until 2 years ago, Jaffer was living in Kamloops and working for Tourism Sun Peaks. Her employer was looking for an inexpensive gift for customers who booked an Ice Wine Festival package, so she offered to go to Michael's try to come up with an original idea. Enter wine charms. This hobby became such a passion she ran out of friends to bestow them on so she launched enthusiastically into jewelry, teaching herself how to make necklaces, bracelets, etc. In June 2005, the financial cost of this "hobby" finally dictated that it was time to make it an official business and started selling her pieces. Jaffer has since returned to Vancouver's North Shore, continues to be involved in the tourism industry with one small contract plus several tourism boards and committees and is working her line on a daily basis.

"bling by layla" offers a distinctly eclectic selection of styles and materials, influenced by her diverse cultural heritage spanning four continents. Among these are 5 lines: Dagina - Acrylics in Motion (fun, bright and colourful), Silva - Wood Art (a warm and vibrant combination of wood and pewter), East West (rich South Asian undertones), Nagina - So Serpentine (crystal, pewter, and semiprecious pendants), and a new service call Wedded Bling which is custom designed not just for the bride, but the bridal party and family. In addition to jewelry, there are wine charms, napkin rings, sunglass cords, bag and belt loop charms and bookmarks, all excellent choices for small personal gifts. An artist by nature, inspiration may come from something seen, but often just from sitting down with an idea of what she wants to create and letting her instincts guide her through the myriad of findings in front of her.

While making jewelry is a passion, the business itself offers greater opportunity. "It's not really about making a woman feel happy because she's got beautiful jewelry on…If that happens I feel good but…if I can leave a legacy of creating a business environment where it's all about empowering everybody who comes in contact with it…then I've succeeded." $5000 has been pledged to the Aga Khan Foundation and when that goal has been met she will reconsider her original goal of working on a more local level.

To get a chance to see the full "bling by layla" line, check out the upcoming Baubles and Bubbles 3rd Annual Champagne Reception and Christmas Gift Shows on November 21 in North Vancouver and November 28th in Downtown Vancouver. For more information on these events or for local stores and on-line (or custom) orders, please visit her website at www.blingbylayla.com.