Meet Your (Etsy) Maker: Jewelry in the Raw by Dani Barbe
Jewelry by Dani Barbe.
Since it was founded in 2005, Etsy has been the ultimate source for one-stop shopping for people who want to buy unique handmade goods and curated vintage finds. The Brooklyn-based site now boasts 24 million active shoppers who peruse 1.6 million online shops — raking in $2.39 billion in gross merchandise sales in 2015 alone.
In this new feature, we dive deep into our favorite Etsy shops — beyond the product pics and shipping fees! — to meet the talented people who run them and get an inside look at what it’s like to be a part of a cultural phenomenon that has brought international recognition to even the most obscure of artisans.
Shop: Dani Barbe
Designer: Dani Barbe
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Opened: Nov. 29, 2012
What it sells: Delicate and unique handmade statement jewelry with a bohemian flair made of raw gemstones and minerals.
Yahoo Style loves: Rose-gold-plated raw emerald ring ($58); citrine, amazonite, and pink opal bangle bracelet ($125); gold-plated smoky quartz ring ($66).
Dani Barbe (Photo: Courtesy of Dani Barbe)
What was your inspiration moment to start the shop?
I was traveling across the U.S. while singing and writing in a band, and we needed some new merchandise. I knew that the majority of our crowds for this summer tour would be made up of young girls, and I ended up repurposing vintage jewelry and selling a ton of it! There was a point where I’d have a waitlist, and people would sign up and be given a time to come and pick up their jewelry. So I opened up my jewelry store online, first as a music merch site and then as a stand-alone store. I found it was an amazing creative outlet, so I took several classes, including metalsmithing and wax casting — though I’m mainly a self-taught jewelry designer. A lot of the techniques took me years to figure out and perfect.
Did you have a moment when you thought you might give up?
I think every artist has those moments. I felt frustrated when my sales weren’t high enough and I wasn’t getting enough traffic to my site. But during that time, the few kind customers and sales were enough to keep me moving forward. I learned which items people were responding to, and I was able to tweak my designs and my search keywords to gain enough momentum. Thankfully, I love making jewelry so much. I knew this was going to become my career, and giving up was never truly an option.
Jewelry by Dani Barbe.
What’s the weirdest or most memorable customization you’ve ever been asked to do?
Someone wanted one of my large stone clay rings made out of nontoxic edible materials so they could eat the ring.
When have you felt most competitive on Etsy?
When I got my first Etsy merchandising feature a few years ago, it clicked that someone had finally found me! There are so many stores on Etsy, and I worried that my pieces wouldn’t stand out in a sea of products. That feature was a huge push to continue to improve my pieces and my photography. Etsy has helped me tremendously, even selecting me as a featured wholesale designer and setting up a display for me at the trade show NY Now.
How many products did you sell on your biggest day?
Over the Christmas season, I had days where I sold hundreds of items. This was my biggest holiday season yet!
Which Etsy shops are YOU obsessed with?
PaulaAndWaffle for adorable gift wrap and sweet cards, The Vintage Vogue for really unique housewares, and The Rabbit Hole, TelltaleHearts, and VintagEnMode for fantastic vintage clothes and accessories!
Stacking rings by Dani Barbe.
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