Everything about Bijou Lakay – Know Your Brand

The purpose of this serie is to share with our audience, customers, visitors and family, about our story. Get to know more about your favorite, unique and ethical line of jewellery.

When Daphnée Karen Floreal founded Bijou Lakay in 2006 she had a vision: Creating outstanding jewelry from sole natural materials while preserving Haitian manufacturing tradition and supporting local families.

Over the past 15 years Bijou Lakay did not only achieve all of these but also transformed the Haitian fashion industry.

DARING. INNOVATIVE. SUSTAINABLE.

Each piece crafted by hand, Bijou Lakay’s jewelry combines contemporary caribbean design with centuries old art and anchestral production methods, handed down from previous generations.

“I chose bullhorn as main material because it is one of a kind, super leightweight and versatile,” Daphnée explains. “And I wanted to keep the precedure alive that only a handful of Haitian artisans is still familiar with and in possession of the old rudimentary equipment needed to manufacture our jewelry items.”

Bullhorn is one of the most difficult natural materials to work with and these artisans learned from their elders and are bruising and burning their hands every day with a work they dedicated their lives to. They even migrated to the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince from different parts of the country to do so and create better lives for their families.

“Today we are proud to be able to provide a stable source of income for at least 10 local families, education for their children and a very positive outlook into their future, which unfortunately isn’t granted for so many,” Daphnée Floreal continues.

Besides bullhorn Bijou Lakay’s unique pieces show wooden elements, typically cedar or mahagony and also gemstones like turquoise, malachite, jasper or pearls, especially in their limited editions.

RESPONSIBILITY AS A MISSION.

Daphnée explains: “The reason I’m so dedicated to this material, bullhorn, and the manufacturing process that forces us to take special care and be patient, is my strong belief in our responsibility to our heritage, culture and history. And at the same time I want to empower women all over this planet to celebrate their individuality and be part of this movement of strong, self aware women, dancing to the beat of their own drum and enjoying to turn heads. We don’t want to fit in, we create visions and dreams and dare to go for them!”

As a company Bijou Lakay feels responsible for the environment as much as for local communities.

Bullhorn is repurposed from the food industry to reduce waste. There are no chemicals involved in the process. Just heat and oil turn the horn pieces into shapable plates and the ready to wear item gets its shine through water polishing only. That’s it!

Each Bijou Lakay jewelry item is the result of a complex yet handcraft process from scratch to finish which doesn’t cause any kind of pollution nor create hazardous waste.

ACCESSIABILITY AND GROWTH OF AN INNOVATIVE BRAND.

Over the years Bijou Lakay has participated in a lot of different national as well as international fairs in Haiti, Miami Beach, Brazil, Suriname, Atlanta, Turcs and Caicos, Panama, Spain, Mexico, Sint-Marteen, Italy, Amsterdam, France and Barbados.

Daphnée Floreal’s stunning and unique designs have been part of numerous fashion shows in Haiti and also overseas.

Currently Bijou Lakay’s jewelry accessories are available in more than 10 points of sales in USA, Jamaica, Martinique and Guadeloupe.

Via online store on www.bijoulakayhaiti.com your orders can be shipped worldwide.