As young kids, we were always taught to reuse and recycle. This teaching method tends to follow us wherever we go; however, we sometimes fail to put this knowledge to use. Being apart of the Alora jewelry team, this childhood knowledge is put to habit in every aspect of their design.
Alora jewelry was founded in Calgary, Alta by Emilyn and Jameela Ghann, the powerful mother and daughter team behind the creative and recycled stone, glass & brass dynasty. Originally from Jamaica, Emilyn brought her knowledge of colour and design to her new entrepreneurial idea. By using recycled parts in every piece, the jewelry becomes a one-of-a-kind for the consumer.
Peter Njongwe, creative director for Alora, shares that the interaction and partnership of family within the company helps emphasize the true spirit of the brand.
“We create beautiful pieces that have a symbolic meaning inspired by our rich Ghanaian history, the world around us, and the intention we put into each piece,” he said. “Each Alora piece comes with a positive meaning card to remind you of the things you care about and encourage you to live an intentional life.”
Paying close attention to their cultural roots, Alora was precisely named for the handcrafted jewellery company. ‘Alora’, translating to “my dream”, comes from “one of the oldest Central African languages” and becomes the very mission the company lives by.
“The name represents a positive transformation of character and inspiration for the wearer to embrace their uniqueness and achieve their dreams,” Njongwe explained.
“Each piece has a symbolic positive meaning attached to it – love, forgiveness, family, and believing – so you can be reminded of your values and your intentions each time you wear it.”
A company’s success is graded on economic achievement and profit within the industry. Though this is important to Alora, the team believes real success is not only based on financial freedoms but what they can do to give back to the community. Over the past two years, the company has graciously given their time and donated well-over $1000.00 dollars to the Mustard Seed of Calgary.
“We have impacted 26 women [at the Mustard Seed],” Ghann said. “We have consistently hosted jewellery making workshops and networking events for these women. It has been amazing to teach them new skills since that is how we started making jewellery: through a class.”
“We always ask our non-profit partners exactly what would be beneficial for them and the people who use their service. We then use that information to create fun yet impactful campaigns that will help people in our community.”
Alora continues to find success economically within the business, however believes this is because of the support of the community and consumer. Women continue to empower themselves, taking the reins as community leaders and entrepreneurs. Alora says that every woman should have positive values that emotionally connect her to her successes.
“We truly believe in giving back and using our business to make a difference in our community,” Jameela said. “We are more than just a jewellery brand and I think that our customers see that.”
“An ‘Alora Woman’ believes in giving back to her community through volunteering, philanthropy, and/or creating meaningful connections with those around her.
“Our perfect client is honest with herself and others around her. She accepts her inner and external beauty and works on becoming a better version of herself everyday and helps to shape a better world for tomorrow.”
Whether the consumer loves the hand-made production of unique jewellery pieces precisely detailed with recycled materials or is inspired to further their commitments to the communities they live in, Alora has become a voice for those who never thought they would be heard.
“We care about people, our community, the environment and great, unique design. Alora is a company that makes decision that don’t just benefit the bottom line, but the community in general.”