Kyoni’s Lewis, 13, makes accessories inspired by nature

Kyoni Lewis loves dressing up and wearing her mother’s accessories. But sometimes they are too big for her to wear.

So Kyoni, who is 13, solved the problem – she made her own!

When her family and friends began telling her how much they liked her handmade accessories, she decided to sell them, and started her own business, Kyoni Kreations, in 2016. She started making things like earrings and bracelets using fabric and other suitable materials she found around her home.

She told Newsday Kids, “Around the time of starting my business I was seven.

“I liked to dress up and play with my mother’s jewellery. So, I started making some for myself because some of them (my mother’s jewellery) couldn’t fit me.”

At first she was nervous about the idea of selling her products but she got the support of her family and friends, and it’s no surprise they were also her first customers!

Kyoni, who lives in San Raphael Village, Guanapo, gets the inspiration for her accessories from nature, which she experienced a lot of growing up in Blanchisseusse.

“I grew up surrounded by a lot of forests. I’ve always seen trees and all the birds."

But nature isn’t her only source of inspiration.

“Some of my designs also use African prints which represent my heritage.”

To improve her skills, Kyoni does research on YouTube videos uses other online tools.

Her grandmother is a seamstress and gives her advice on how to work with fabric.

In April, she participated in a training programme for young creative people with the Fashion Arch.

As part of the programme, she learned new ways to work with fabric, including how to make patterns, by Fashion Arch’s creative director, Ain Earle.

In the five years she’s been in business, Kyoni has learnt it isn’t always fun and games. There are times she may get overwhelmed when they are a lot of orders to fill.

But knowing it’s all part of business, she presses on.

She's also learning money management. "I’ve also learnt that you have to reinvest (in your business) once you make a profit,” said Kyoni.

Apart from making accessories, Kyoni loves to draw and paint. Like her accessories, most of her drawings and painting are inspired by nature.

“I get to make anything I want if I have an idea. So, if I get an idea, I get to make it in real life instead of it just being a dream.

“It’s something I like to do when I am bored and when I am relaxing because painting helps me relax a lot.”

A form one student at St Francois Girls’ College, Kyoni intends to continue her business when she gets older and even wants her accessories to be sold in stores.

She also wants to be a lawyer and help those in need. She is inspired when she sees women judges and lawyers in TV shows and movies.

Because she was able to do it, Kyoni wants other children who may dream of being entrepreneurs to follow their heart and do what they love.

“You are never too young to start a business once you continue pressing on until you get it right.

“You may not always get everything right once away, but you’ll get there eventually.”

You can check out Kyoni’s Kreations on Facebook.