YAMBALA DESIGNS BY LAUDIA

Hailing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Laudia is the mastermind behind jewelry brand, **Yambala Designs**. Yambala Designs effortlessly combines beautiful stones with the art of spiritual healing. Laudia ensures that her customers will not only look fly, but also experience the tranquility and guidance that each stone provides.

SHEER: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

LAUDIA: I was born in the jewel of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where sapphire, emeralds and diamonds spring from the earth.

SHEER: How did the idea for Yambala Designs come about? And what does "Yambala" mean?

LAUDIA: The idea of Yambala Designs came about through my intention to provide people with beautiful natural healing stones in the form of jewelry. The beautiful word Yambala is my surname and it derives from the region of the Congo in central Africa.

SHEER: Where do you primarily draw inspiration for the collections on your site?

LAUDIA: It’s all about the stones. I draw my inspiration for my collections from the stones that catch my eye, the stones I’m drawn to, like a kid in a candy store. The array of colours, the iridescence, the holistic properties and energy of the stones are my inspiration. I also draw my inspiration from my customer’s requests for their favourite stones.

SHEER: How do you approach the intersection of spiritual healing and artistic design in your collections?

LAUDIA: I approach the intersection of spiritual healing and artistic designs by considering modern day pop culture, fashion and the spiritual needs of the individuals who buy from my various collections. People get to experience spiritual healing through each individual stone and they get to look fly. This is my intention as a designer.

SHEER: In what ways does NYC influence your jewelry designs?

LAUDIA: As the capital of American fashion, New York has influenced my design choices simply because the city offers a platform of resources and various customers and customer requests from all over the world.

SHEER: What are the biggest challenges you face as a black business owner?

LAUDIA: As a black business owner, race and ethnicity has never interfered with my ability to be successful. Nothing distracts from the radiant light that people experience at Yambala Designs.

SHEER: What is a golden piece of advice you wish someone would have told you when first starting your business?

LAUDIA: The golden piece of advice I wish someone told me when starting my company is that how you market your product will determine your success.

SHEER: What are some of your favorite pieces on the site currently and why?

LAUDIA: Some of my favourite pieces currently on my website are moonstone, pearls, rose quartz and turquoise. The reason why I like moonstone is because it’s soothing, comforting and offers me good vibes. Heart chakra protection is why I choose to wear rose quartz and aesthetically my favourite stones are pearls and turquoise.