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Avoila Accessories – A rare find in beauty, artistry and sustainability

Published:Sunday | January 15, 2023 | 12:10 AMKrysta Anderson - Staff Reporter
These beautiful lucky earrings and stunning flora necklace is from Aviola Accessories’ Hummingbird Collection.
These beautiful lucky earrings and stunning flora necklace is from Aviola Accessories’ Hummingbird Collection.
Here’s a breathtakingly fashionable trio: the Tweedy earrings, paired with the Winnie necklace is further accessorised by the brass shield rings.
Here’s a breathtakingly fashionable trio: the Tweedy earrings, paired with the Winnie necklace is further accessorised by the brass shield rings.
You can’t afford to miss out on the Missy statement necklace. It is complimented by turquoise Tweedy earrings and the Avi Shield brass ring.
You can’t afford to miss out on the Missy statement necklace. It is complimented by turquoise Tweedy earrings and the Avi Shield brass ring.
Make a statement with this necklace and provide added touches of style with the Tweety earrings in green and Avi Shield rings and bangles.
Make a statement with this necklace and provide added touches of style with the Tweety earrings in green and Avi Shield rings and bangles.

Meet the beauty and talent behind the moving accessories line, Ms Aviola herself, Melissa Preddie.
Meet the beauty and talent behind the moving accessories line, Ms Aviola herself, Melissa Preddie.
The famous Avi Swirl was a sure-fire hit among the Avi Divas when it hit the market. Preddie loved it so much that she created a mini version, which proudly adorns her almost everyday.
The famous Avi Swirl was a sure-fire hit among the Avi Divas when it hit the market. Preddie loved it so much that she created a mini version, which proudly adorns her almost everyday.
Accessories like the mellow statement necklace, accompanied by the Tweedy earrings and Avi shield ring and bangles are designed for the stylish woman who is confident in every stride and believes in sustainability.
Accessories like the mellow statement necklace, accompanied by the Tweedy earrings and Avi shield ring and bangles are designed for the stylish woman who is confident in every stride and believes in sustainability.
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“Everything I do is inspired by nature and people,” Melissa Preddie told The Sunday Gleaner. Busy making hair accessories, she shared that it was her loyal customers who began requesting jewellery as well. Close to a decade later, she is a celebrated creator and owner of the eco-friendly brand, Aviola Accessories.

To say that she was a fan of the fashion accessory would be a fabricated invention. “I had no plans of going into jewellery, because how I grew up, I never really wore them,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.

What she was always keen on was research, being a champion of sustainability and finding innovative ways to start the conversation or be the change she wanted to see in the world. “I am a natural creative. And when I started Aviola, research was top priority. After conducting extensive research, asking questions, and networking, I did some courses, got a mentor and I just started, ” she added.

Listing the Jamaica Business Development Corporation as one of her advisors who pointed her in the direction she needed to go, Preddie shared that she received the necessary business support to guide her through the process as well.

On the talent side, she was recommended to a jeweller, began her training in different techniques and never stopped there. In February 2013, Aviola Accessories emerged on the fashion scene.

Combining the middle names of both her and her loved ones, she came up with the name Aviola Accessories, which she holds close and dear to her heart. Specialising in necklaces, earrings, bangles and rings with strong names rooted in history and positive energy, her collections all form part of a bigger picture set in motion by pure artistry.

“A favourite among my customers, or who I like to call my Avi-Divas, is the Avi Swirl necklace. I love it as well. I have a mini-version that I wear almost every day because of what it signifies to me. It means embracing the season of life. The necklace tells the story. I started that collection in 2015 and up to today, it is a favourite and a staple. People always rave about the Amali earring, which is the mask earring and Tori earrings. They bring me back to my African roots,” she shared.

So what are some of the inspirations behind her work? She started by choosing the metals and based on her research, the brass and the bronze were best suited for her collections. She learnt a great deal about the metals and the designs from an African American artist who goes by the name Arthur ‘Art’ Smith.

As far as colours and added dazzle go, she is moved by hues of green and blues, a personal preference, and other shades are implemented to enhance the narrative. It could be a plant, petal or flower, Preddie is motivated by the natural beauty and does her best to capture the movement. She is also big on gemstones, so those are incorporated as well.

“Sometimes I sketch, but it can transform into something once I start creating. I do customised designs. Customers will call me for big events and request a statement necklace. I go the extra mile for my Avi-Divas,” she said.

Being around for almost 10 years meant that she would have had to weather the storm of the COVID-19 pandemic. It would put Preddie on standstill for four months. But it gave her the opportunity to pivot creatively in a way that she never saw coming. So, for her, the ordeal was a blessing in disguise.

With the unique selling point being the fact that this is an eco-brand, she recently started a home line with cheese and charcuterie boards. The aim is to continue to provide quality and be an advocate for sustainability through fashion, home and lifestyle.

krysta.anderson@gleanerjm.com