DREAM JOB
A CHILDHOOD SPENT FANTASIZING LED CYNTHIA DEIS TO START HER JEWELRY COMPANY, BEDIZEN ORNAMENTS.
Byline: Tami Hardeman
RALEIGH, North Carolina — Though “follow your dreams” is a common expression, few people’s dreams remain the same. Not so in the case of Cynthia Deis: She has built Bedizen Ornaments, an international jewelry company, on her childhood fantasies.
“I grew up on my grandparent’s farm playing make believe. I put on old prom dresses and piles of costume jewelry that my grandmother saved for me. I design with a specific person in mind — the woman who can still dream and fantasize and wants to look pretty.”
Her vision isn’t for everyone, as Deis will happily tell you. “I don’t design for the masses. I don’t have that ‘cookie-cutter, khaki pants and black nylon bag’ mentality. My pieces are very unique, and they are not for everyone. You won’t find them at the mall in your run-of-the-mill store. Besides, with the original materials that I use, it’s hard to make 500 of the same style. I tend to make a run of 10.”
For fall, Deis has named her collection Autumn Illusions. Her focus is on chokers and dramatic collar necklaces. Many of the materials for this season’s designs came from a button warehouse that Deis bought out. In addition, Bedizen uses vintage glass throughout the line, which means glass that is at least 20 years old. The materials come from everything from chandeliers to glass washing-machine buttons.
For day, the collection pairs hand-carved, smoked mother-of-pearl with crystal beads in the colors of fall such as topaz, burgundy and pewter. For evening, chokers become ornamented with vintage beads and slightly larger crystals, as well as ribbons. Deis loves the ribbon-tie closures on the chokers for evening.
Deis came upon her career almost by accident. “Jewelry was a hobby for me, nothing more,” she says. She was dressing the windows of a boutique in Raleigh and made some jewelry to go along with what was in the display. The boutique showed interest in her designs and placed the first order for Bedizen Ornaments.
“My first sale was $792. I will always remember that. After they placed the order, I rushed home and started beading like crazy,” she says.
Since that day, Bedizen has been a runaway success. After only three years, the line is sold in 350 stores worldwide. “At first, I only had accounts in the Southeast because that was where I could drive. Now we have accounts on both coasts, as well as in Canada, the United Kingdom, Fuji and Belize.”
The company’s growth has been astounding: 100 percent in the first year, 200 percent the two years after that.
Despite her success, Deis feels no need to move from North Carolina. “I guess I could relocate to New York or some place like that, but I really love where I am. Besides, we’ve been so successful here. Why change it?”
Aside from incredible jewelry, Bedizen also includes a line of home accessories — sachets, scented clothes hangers and picture frames. “The home accessories are really used as an accent in the stores that carry us. I create them when the urge hits me. It’s not a continuous thing, nor would I want it to be,” says Deis.
Wholesale price points for the range from $11 to $24 for earrings and $18 to $150 for necklaces. Bedizen Ornaments is available through Dan Strauss at the Atlanta Apparel Mart.