Davia Hines creates ‘Bag & Pan’ of accessories

Language is the unofficial ‘passport’ to one’s culture. So when Davia Hines was seeking a name that would embody what her brand stood for, she saw great value in going with Bag & Pan. After all, her accessories journey began with making tote bags and vegan leather pouches, and she wanted a title that wouldn’t limit her scope but expand her style portfolio. Today, she designs chic island-inspired earrings.

“As a Jamaican, your ‘bag an’ pan’ is anything and everything – that’s what I wanted the name to represent. I’m always getting into new ways to express my creative energy, and I want to be able to share that through my business,” she told Living.

Growing up, a young Hines spent summers decorating school supplies with markers and stickers and designing pleated skirts for her dolls. Her best friend also introduced her to making three-dimensional beaded rings in grade six, and she was hooked. Added to that fascination was her uncle’s knack for beaded jewellery making, which he sold to tourists. When he saw her interest, he didn’t hesitate to pass down knowledge to his niece.

Since adding crochet work and make-up artistry to her list of passions, Hines recently decided to ‘tun har han’ mek fashion’ with polymer clay.

“Working with polymer clay has been an enjoyable challenge so far. Sourcing the clay is one of the tricky parts, as well as figuring out the perfect temperatures and baking times to make sure the baked pieces don’t bubble, become brittle or change colour. When done right, polymer clay is perfect for earrings because of the variety of colours. It is both lightweight and durable,” she added.

When the global pandemic was posing a threat to contracts and presenting possibilities of lay-offs, Hines decided to take her talents seriously. She started Bag & Pan on social media late last year and has loved the feedback, “The response has been overwhelmingly positive. I’m always so shocked when I meet new people who are already familiar with my work and my brand.”

Inspired by nature, the tools she finds, her colourful imagination and other jewellery creators, her favourite ear candies to date are her floral and leaf designs. “My most popular designs would be the textured sunflower earrings, the monstera leaves, as well as the plain half-circle earrings; those are easy to make and can be custom-made to match any outfit,” Hines shared.

Admitting that she adored the designs for herself because she is a big fan of how earrings make her feel, her search for polymer clay earrings locally turned up far and few results, so she became a supplier. The creative at heart has had to learn the business of balancing books and keeping inventory records for a sustainable and profitable outcome.

Outside of Bag & Pan, Hines works full-time in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. She is looking forward to getting her own website to process orders and payments online.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com