24 July 2021 06:00 am Views - 407
Nik Nak was launched in February 2020 by Nirukshi De Lanerolle, at a time when she was contemplating retirement. Owing to the global pandemic and the subsequent lockdown, Nirukshi decided to use her time at home, to teach herself the art of managing a business online. As the world paused, she too, evaluated her priorities, and decided sixty-three years of age was far too young to retire. Hello, Nik Nak.
Nik Nak was launched as an online accessory store that focuses on celebrating women. Nirukshi and her team have made it their goal to create a community that allows women to express themselves, through loud, yet elegant, statement pieces. Nirukshi is committed to empower other female entrepreneurs, hence almost all her partnerships in the business have been forged with other female-led businesses; from packaging and design, to sourcing products. Having stumbled upon her Instagram profile, we connected with Nirukshi for a brief conversation.
Q: Where do you currently retail your brand? Nik Nak products are available exclusively on digital media platforms.
Q: How has it been setting up and managing a business online? I learnt the basics of Social Media during lockdown. Being an individual who is new to using business tools on social media it has been quite the learning curve, but I understand our customers engage with us better on platforms they are already on. Hence, learning to run a business entirely on Facebook and Instagram has been an interesting journey thus far.
Q: How many collections do you release a month? Our collections range from Desi Baby, an Indian inspired colorful collection, to Simply Siren, a more elegant collection. All in all, we curate fifteen new designs per month. We source from across Asia, whilst restocking best sellers. The plan is to stock a sterling silver collection later this year.
Q: What was your job before launching this brand? I worked for Emerge Lanka Foundation, a charity that strives to empower survivors of sexual abuse. I supported their Beads to Business initiative that taught entrepreneurship through therapeutic jewelry making.
Q: We understand your daughter Nadiya is also involved in the business? Yes, she is. My daughter previously worked in an Advertising and Television Production company and she now works in Public Relations. She brings her creative and business expertise to the table. Her bold personality and individuality is the inspiration for the brand, as was essentially my first customer.
Chatting to Nirukshi, its evident that her brand within a year has grown to being a much sought-after accessory label online. Their Instagram profile is a riot of color and is home to an array of gorgeous statement pieces. Nirukshi commits to managing the business daily, from sourcing pieces from across Asia, to creating content with her daughter, and learning technology on the go.
Commenting on her one-year milestone, Nirukshi stated, “I never understood why shops locally didn’t sell the chunky and vibrant jewellery that I had seen in my travels to India. Women with skin like ours look so striking with colourful jewellery. So, I just re-connected with suppliers who I purchased from for my daughter, used the lockdown time to understand how to run a business on social media and launched Nik Nak with a few pieces. I am over the moon at how amazing it is that I get to enjoy my retirement at home with my family and pets, but still get to connect with inspiring women who want to wear the Nik Nak’s I have sourced. I consider myself blessed.”
With the support of her Nik Nak ‘family’ Nirukshi hopes to expand from her curated collection of ready-to-wear pieces inspired by bohemian trends and street style, to supply a wider range, perhaps at a shop space of her own. She further added “Nik Nak is for women like my daughter, who are unafraid to have a personal style that would have been considered too daring when I was growing up. Just like her and the rest of the women in my family, we have always believed in representing ourselves most authentically by wearing what we love.”
For more information on Nik Nak, check out their Instagram and Facebook page by searching for @niknaksl
Nik Nak is a playground of colour, and everyone is invited to come play!