Name: Lyra Durr
Age: 19
Year: Sophomore
Major: Retail Merchandising and Product Development
Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas
Meet Lyra, the Florida State student behind Jewelry by Lyra. From bracelets to chokers, all of Lyra’s pieces are handmade. On top of being completely hand-crafted, Lyra makes a point to work with her customers to create beautifully customized pieces that match their personal styles! Her Campus got the opportunity to sit down and chat with Lyra about what makes her jewelry line so special.
Her Campus (HC): Where did you get the idea for your jewelry line?
Lyra Durr (LD): I have always had a love for art and being creative. It turns out that I’m also really into fashion, so I combined the two passions and I started making my own jewelry. In the beginning, I just started making stuff for myself and for friends as gifts, but after a while, I decided to start selling them. On top of that, I am also extremely passionate about women’s rights, so I decided to use my jewelry line to give 20% of my profits to The Polaris Project which is an organization that aims to put an end to human trafficking and helps its victims.
HC: What style do you aim for when you’re creating your jewelry and where do you get the inspiration for your jewelry?
LD: I try to keep up with the current trends because my target customer is college or high school aged girls. I get my inspiration from shopping at local boutiques at home and from stuff I see on the runway at fashion week, or at markets. I also ask my friends for input and a lot of times they give me ideas for jewelry which is also really awesome! Since I hand-make everything, all of my items are customizable and it gives me the opportunity to work with customers to make many different one-of-a-kind pieces.
HC: What’s your favorite piece of jewelry you’ve ever made?
LD: My favorite piece is a druzy wrap which can be worn as a choker or a bracelet. It’s a druzy stone tied with suede string. I love it because it’s so versatile and can be worn with so many different outfits.
HC: Where do you hope to take your business in the future?
LD: For now I’m keeping it fairly small due to my busy school schedule, but after college, I might try to grow the business. I want to start selling at more market-style setups, and eventually be able to sell at boutiques.
HC: Well for now, where can your jewelry be bought?
LD: Every week at the Union I have a table at market Wednesday where I sell my jewelry, but I also have an Etsy shop online and sell on my Instagram as well!
HC: Have you gotten a lot of support for your line?
LD: I get a lot of support from my friends and from my sorority sisters. They are super encouraging and even help me promote my jewelry. For example, I did a trunk show at my sorority during pre-recruitment and girls bought jewelry from me to wear during recruitment week. Sometimes it’s hard running a small business so I really appreciate any support I get.
If you’re interested in Lyra’s jewelry, check out her Instagram page: @jewelrybylyra or take a peek at her Etsy.
All images courtesy of JewelryByLyra Instagram.