After a couple of moments of interaction with Saudia Jones, a few things will become apparent—she adores the Caribbean, she’s passionate about creativity and she has an affinity for every aspect of the jewelry making process. Each of the aforementioned revelations are what contributed to the start of flolis., an online brand that is becoming known for crafting handmade fine jewelry and showing appreciation for the arts.
Saudia—who is the mind behind flolis.—was raised in St. Thomas, VI, which is known for its luxury jewelry shops and being the destination for people to buy fine jewelry. Being exposed to jewelry at a young age led to a love for wearing jewelry and eventually a desire to include stones in her artwork. This curiosity led to an apprenticeship in a St. Thomas shop where she developed a deep interest in the process of making jewelry and an even deeper interest in creating opportunities—through employing and teaching—for POC to learn goldsmithing.
Drawing inspiration from Black contemporary culture, the brand also seeks to create a pathway into the fine jewelry industry, which is an area of opportunity for the industry as a whole and especially in St. Thomas, Saudia said.
“St. Thomas has a tourist-based economy,” Saudia told THE BLOCK. “St. Thomas is a predominantly Black island but there are not a lot of Black-owned jewelry stores and jewelry is such a big part of Black culture.”
We’re especially huge consumers of the jewelry industry. I would love it if there were opportunities for Black people to own, sell and make [jewelry]. We should have our hands in all parts of it.
saudia jones
As flolis. enters its third year of business, Saudia continues to do her part to further the brand’s mission as the brand grows gradually. The Parsons School of Design graduate recently hired the company’s first employee, which puts her one step closer to meeting her goals.
“It feels really good to be able to pay someone who looks like me,” she said. “I want to continue doing things like that.”
While flolis. is currently an online business that Saudia runs out of New York City, in the distant future, one of Saudia’s dreams is to open a shop in St. Thomas in hopes of expanding creative opportunities for young people there. In her experience, the island lacks adequate resources for people who either want the freedom to explore creatively or are interested in a career in the creative industry, she said.
“I want to hire people who want to learn how to make jewelry,” Saudia told us. “I just feel like there’s so many really talented people there who probably don’t even know they’re talented because they’ve never even been presented with the resources to do these things. It limits your dreams and your possibilities when you don’t have resources or even just other people who are telling you this is a possible career choice.”
In many Black spaces, there’s a lack of quality artistic outlets because resources are seldom put into the arts in those communities. For this reason, it’s more about power and freedom for Saudia. Even if someone is not exactly interested in goldsmithing, there should be an option to pursue it, which is why flolis. exists.
More Than Jewelry
While jewelry is a huge aspect of flolis., the other side of the brand showcases artists and their work. A lifelong artist herself, Saudia understands the plight of creatives and the importance of using her platform to amplify the work of artists of color. Through the flolis. website—and Instagram—people can connect with artists and view their work but Saudia’s future goal is to be a liaison, providing a physical space for artists to show their work within the flagship location of flolis.
Securing artist grants and forging greater connections to expand their brands to get more eyes on their work is also in the plans.
I hope that one day I could be a tool to bring some of that to young people because I really think art is so healing, does so much for community and does so much for culture. Just like historically thinking, I feel like that’s a way that we tell our story and we communicate with those who come after us. I want to use my practice to continue that.
saudia jones
To connect with Saudia, follow her on Instagram and visit her website.
