From Quarantine to Jewellery Designer: An Interview with PLY Studios
Written by Rana Belle
photo by @minjuhongphoto
There is no doubt that quarantine has been confusing and chaotic. Amidst these peculiar times, a feeling of defeat seems imminent. The amount of free time, however, has led to the rise of small businesses and creatives. Young people all over the globe have identified their true vocations in life; creating, designing, and starting up their very own businesses. Over the course of the past two years, these businesses have flourished into integral elements of the fashion and beauty industry. I had the pleasure of speaking to Pei Lee Yap, the founder and designer at PLY Studios about her experience as a small business owner.
PLY Studios is a handmade jewellery and accessories brand founded in 2020 by Computer science graduate Pei Lee. “During quarantine, I found myself with a lot of free time to explore my hobbies”, she told Unfiltered. What initially started as a small Instagram page to share her creations with friends and family, gained a considerable amount of attention and support, allowing Pei Lee to develop PLY Studios into a full-blown business. From necklaces and earrings to hair clips and coasters, the range of products available at her online store is immense. Outside of PLY Studios, Pei Lee works in full-time tech. “While it’s super exciting to work in tech because it’s such a pertinent aspect of our daily lives, I also wanted to create a space for myself to explore my non-tech/creative interests'', she stated. After learning about resin online, she began drawing inspiration from graphic designs and fashion trends from each season. Florals, pastels, and pearls are just a few of the elements to her designs.
Small businesses take up a lot of time for the curators, especially when the products are handmade by one person. However, it is an undeniably rewarding process. When asked what the most special moment for Pei Lee was, since starting her brand, she responded “as cliche as it sounds, it is the friends and connections I’ve made through it. I got to meet so many creatives who I’ve admired for a long time through my business”. During the pandemic, the success of small businesses has been enormous and as a result, there has been an increased focus on supporting young creators. In addition to this, much of the proceeds of small businesses go towards charities. As Pei Lee explained to me, PLY Studios has allowed her to give back to a multitude of charitable organizations. “Through donating profits from my shop, I was able to give back to so many amazing charities like Stop AAPI Hate, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Heart of Dinner, Dignity for Divas, and Friends of Youth”.
The support and importance of recognition for young entrepreneurs are crucial for encouraging creativity and artistry. As Pei Lee told me, “they (young entrepreneurs) are the main drivers of innovation. We need young entrepreneurs to disrupt the industry and continuously share new ideas for us to grow and evolve”. The creative industry is difficult to break into and, therefore, support for young creatives and small businesses is critical. “With the power of social media, small businesses are now more accessible than ever”.
photos by @anuh.del.sur
Though my personal favourite from the shop are the Strawberry Huggies, Pei Lee’s is the Double heart necklace. “It’s the first piece designed entirely from scratch and it was a really empowering experience to see it go from an idea to an actual product”, she explained. Though PLY Studios is a relatively new brand, it has had an immense amount of success. Her Instagram account and her online shop display all of her creations which never cease to impress. As her business begins to grow, Pei Lee hopes to have her products sold in brick and mortar stores or at an art market. “Currently, the only way to shop my pieces is through my online website (ply-studios.com) and I really want to share my pieces through an in-person shopping experience”. Pei Lee was kind enough to send some of the products to Unfiltered and they were adored by everyone. Her jewellery is beautifully created and so fun to style. She is a true visionary.
To follow her journey and order her products, follow ply.studios on Instagram and check out her online store, ply-studios.com!