BRANDS TO KNOW: MEESHA FARZANEH JEWELRY
MEESHA FARZANEH JEWELRY
Textile artist and jewelry designer Meesha Farzaneh is the mastermind behind the eco-friendly Meesha Farzaneh Jewelry brand inspired by her travels across the world and Persian heritage. Meesha turned a disability she faced into an opportunity to explore a new passion of jewelry-making that has turned into an accessories powerhouse.
SHEER: What inspired the creation of Meesha Farzaneh jewelry and what was the launch process like?
MEESHA FARZANEH: When I started my business in 2018, it began as a textile art line. After developing carpal tunnel in my right hand, I switched over to clay due to the low impact it had on my joints. Working with clay allows me to be just as creative, without sacrificing my health. It was a pretty scary time for me, as I had just quit my full-time job in March of 2019 when I began dealing with joint pain and inflammation. I needed to make a pivot fast, so I spent a lot of time researching different mediums before I stumbled upon this style of jewelry making. I posted some of my work online, and my following seemed to be really responsive to it. It was funny because when I would post my textile art, I would receive very little response and that was a shock to me! It was a sign that I should follow this new passion and see where it takes me.
SHEER: In what ways does your cultural background influence your jewelry designs?
MF: The Persian culture is known for its intricate art, mosaics, and poetry. I feel like when I create my pieces, they all have an elaborate trail of ideas that lead to each design. Making jewelry with intention and purpose makes a huge difference in how they are distinguished. I like to create pieces that tell a story so that they feel more empowering when worn.
SHEER: Where do you primarily draw inspiration from for the collections on your site?
MF: A HUGE majority of my pieces are inspired by my travels. From Morocco to Mexico, my brain is overflowing with ideas and excitement. I am constantly sketching ideas that pop into my brain in my little sketchbooks that I keep by my bed and in my backpack!
SHEER: How do you maintain your creative vision while also managing your own business?
MF: Honestly, its especially tough, like REALLY tough. For me at least, when I become stressed out and bogged down, my creativity drains completely. There are times where I won’t have any inspiration for months. I will try and make some new designs, and it shows that they weren’t created from inspiration and they don’t sell well (not surprising). I have learned to delegate wayyy more and ask for help. I have hired studio assistants to help keep the studio flowing and productive, which allows for me to time block certain days just for creation. It definitely makes a difference. It is scary to hire help if you haven’t done it before, but once you face your fears, you will wish you would have done it sooner!
SHEER: What are some of your favorite pieces on the site currently?
MF: The Medusas are my pride and joy. They are so unique and honestly make me so proud when I see them out being worn by friends and customers. It is a really empowering piece when worn, probably because of the intention and love that goes into making each one. For the record, they are completely hand sculpted without molds or cutters. We also add texture and scaling to the serpent bodies by hand as well!
The Medusas, $68 meeshafarzaneh.com
“The Persian culture is known for its intricate art, mosaics, and poetry. I feel like when I create my pieces, they all have an elaborate trail of ideas that lead to each design. Making jewelry with intention and purpose makes a huge difference in how they are distinguished. I like to create pieces that tell a story so that they feel more empowering when worn. ”
SHEER: What is a golden piece of advice you wish someone would have told you when first starting your business?
MF: Stop waiting for everything to be perfect/having all your ducks are in a row. Its never going to be perfect and if you just keep waiting, you are just setting yourself back. Just START! It sounds irresponsible and crazy, but honestly, you will implement small things you need to do to run a business along the way. Test out the market, post your products, get feedback, make pivots when necessary. Remember that you are your toughest critic, and people are super understanding and forgiving of small hiccups and growing pains. Be honest about where you are in your business and you will be shocked at how kind, welcoming and encouraging people will be!
SHEER: What do you envision for Meesha Farzaneh jewelry's future?
MF: I would love to be a household name. It’s a big dream, but I can do it. I am going to work as hard and as smart as I know how to make this a reality! Although I will say this, I only want to grow as big as I can handle. I never want to lose control and build the business up so big that it interferes with my quality of life and my happiness. That is key to attaining my idea of success.