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Jewelry has always been a symbol of feminism since the beginning of time. Pleasing women by gifting them jewelry has been a concept that is deeply embedded within the human mind. From Greek gods and goddesses to kings and queens, all have been following this tradition blindly. On the other hand, men did not seem to be fond of the glittery and shiny stones. As everything is subject to change, this tradition has changed too. Today, both genders seem to take an equal interest in wearing and investing in jewelry. The wave of gender equality has transformed almost everything that was divided on the basis of gender. While many businesses are still embracing this change, Nialaya, a high-end jewelry brand founded by Jannik Olander, has been making strides in the industry since 2009.
Born and brought up in Klattrup in Denmark, Jannik was inclined towards fashion and creativity from a very early age. After completing his schooling in Vejle, he moved to the fashion capital, London, to get some real fashion experience. Jannik landed his first job at Harvey Nichols – a luxury department store in London at the age of nineteen. He worked at the store for a year and then moved to Miami to work as a model. Olander moved to Munich when he was twenty-one to work at Ralph Lauren for a year’s period and was later promoted as a store manager at one of their outlets in Hamburg. As he did not want to spend his life working eight hours a day and doing the same thing every day, he decided to open his own Ralph Lauren store. At the age of 26, Jannik owned a high-end fashion brand store and was the very first person to do so.
The young boy’s talent can be measured by the fact that within a few years’ time, Jannik had managed to create a fashion empire in Copenhagen by adding seven stores of top fashion brands such as Polo Jeans, Ralph Lauren Women, Tommy Hilfiger Men, and Women and Tommy Jeans. Although he was at the peak of his career, Jannik was unsatisfied. He sold his self-made fashion empire and invested a fortune in launching his t-shirt brand, Gorilla. Within three years, Gorilla became one of the most prominent t-shirts selling brands and sold its products to 1,000 stores in 14 different countries.
As Jannik’s mind was brimming with ideas, he thought about his life-long dream of moving to Los Angeles. So, in 2007 he sold his t-shirt company and moved to LA. He suffered a significant loss in the same year as he had invested a hefty amount in real estate in Bulgaria, which went in vain due to the Great Recession. The loss had made it difficult for Jannik to make both ends meet. To take a break from life’s ongoing problems, he planned a trip to India.
Going to India was a life-changing decision. There he met a spiritual Shaman who guided Jannik to cleanse his aura and believe in the good energies surrounding him. The shaman gave him a black stone for this purpose, and Jannik returned to LA with a newfound spirit to move forward with life. He invested all of his remaining savings in crafting macrame bracelets and necklaces in his garage in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
Nobody expected that a person who created bracelets and necklaces in his garage would today own a high-end jewelry brand named Nialaya. His first collection was sold through a Beverly Hills boutique. Today Jannik’s jewelry business has an A-listed clientele, including the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, P. Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Jessica Alba, Avicii, David Beckham, Kanye West, Jay Z, Katy Perry, Sofia Vergara, Dolph Lundgren, Drake, and Justin Bieber.
Today Nialaya is known for its precise stone cuts and vibrant stones and gems that blend with people’s personalities regardless of their genders. Jannik’s jewelry has made the Hollywood celebrities obsessed with the prestigious gems and stones that he sources directly from Indonesia and Thailand. Jannik was ranked first in the ‘Top 10 Entrepreneurs of 2020’ by Yahoo Finance and was also voted as the ‘Best Jewelry Designer’ in 2019. He has also contributed to several fashion and lifestyle magazines and has a $5 million net worth. In 2020, the tables completely turned for Nialaya when its revenue generation increased to 60% compared to 2019.
In 2014, Jannik decided to give back to the countries he sourced his gems from. He donates food, toys, medicines, and clothes to many charities in Thailand. Currently, he is working on launching a special collection that benefits the orphanage by giving a percentage of the proceedings to an orphanage in Thailand.
‘Hard Work Can Move Mountains’
Jannik does justice to this quote with his international-level jewelry business that began in his garage. He aims to make his business reach new heights of success and expand throughout the world. His story as an entrepreneur is truly inspirational and can serve as a motivational tool for those who aspire to start their careers anytime soon.
