Bio

Najeli means “I LOVE YOU” in Zapotec and this brand is a true labour of love! Founder and self-taught jewelry maker, Antonia Nicolantonakis, designs and creates fun, feminist, size inclusive jewelry using primarily recycled and upcycled in sterling silver.

Antonia's love for silver begin as a teenager when her mom dug out her vintage sterling silver jewelry collection. She was fascinated with the intricate designs and stone settings of those tiny masterpieces and she eventually began collecting jewelry of her own.

After many wonderful years of hobby crafting and beading, Antonia decided to learn more about jewelry making and started experimenting with silversmithing. This is when her passion truly bloomed and her desire to create became unstoppable. With the unwavering support of her new little family, Antonia pursued her dream of selling her handmade jewelry!

Antonia started out by selling her minimalist sterling silver collection on the streets of Montréal, Québec, as a licensed artisan while pregnant with her daughter, Najeli. Once baby Najeli was born, so was Najeli Jewelry!