Dean Davidson Celebrates 15 Years

In honour of its 15th anniversary, Canadian jewelry brand Dean Davidson has launched a limited-edition Icon Scarf in collaboration with artist Yaw Tony. We chatted with Dean to learn more. —Vita Daily

Hi Dean! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

I am the Creative Director of a demi-fine jewelry brand that I founded 15 years ago. It began as a personal passion and hobby and grew into a global brand. Today we also have an ecommerce business, and our first boutique in downtown Toronto. 

When and why did you launch your eponymous jewelry brand? What niche were/are you aiming to fill?

I launched my jewelry brand in the spring of 2008. My goal was to create a unique, everyday jewelry collection that had the feeling and quality of fine jewelry but at an accessible price point. 

What products/services do you currently offer, and what makes them unique?

We offer a demi-fine jewelry collection that is handcrafted in a family owned, fine jewelry factory in Jaipur, India.  Our unique designs inspired by our world travels, our craftsmanship and quality set us apart. Our jewelry is created using materials such as semi- precious and man made gemstones along with quality metals and finished in our signature brushed finish.  

Congratulations on 15 years! What have you learned, business and design wise, in the last decade and a half? How has jewelry changed?

When I started out on this journey, I never imagined it would lead to this, a fifteen-year-old company with a team of inspiring employees and hundreds of amazing retail partners across the globe. It’s truly been a team effort building this brand that is beloved by so many. It has been an honor to be a part of some of our customers’ greatest life milestones and celebrations. Initially the designs were more architectural and now they’re more about the culture, spirit and style of our favorite travel destinations from around the world.

What inspired you to collaborate with Toronto-based artist Yaw Tony on the Limited Edition Icon Scarf? What makes this piece special, celebratory and perfect to mark the occasion of your anniversary?

I discovered Yaw Tony at an art fair in Toronto and immediately fell in love with his attention to detail and the thought process behind his work. I was initially drawn to the scarves he had silk-screened with his art.  From our first meeting, I felt we would collaborate one day. Fast forward to this spring when we brainstormed ways to commemorate our 15^th year, and Yaw came to mind.  He created two scarf designs that commemorate some of our most iconic pieces of the last 15 years.  

What’s coming up next for you?

Like so many brands, we’ve been in a rat race to constantly deliver newness to customers at an almost unsustainable rate. So what’s next for us is, taking a step back and slowing down a bit. This means being more conscious about our business decisions and designs, putting more thought into fewer styles, really zoning in on the customer experience, and generally delivering what our customer wants, whether that’s more eco-conscious jewelry or potentially home decor.

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