Saira McIntosh grew up in a small seaside town on the south coast of the UK, with a profound case of itchy feet and an inability to sit still.
Dreaming of becoming a designer was a young McIntosh's vision. However, the school environment pushed her towards thinking the only realistic avenue is a 'real grown-up job'.
The young designer's vision changed as she arrived in New Zealand and felt the ability to have space and freedom to flex her creative muscles.
McIntosh's earliest memory of jewellery was her mother's pearl earrings, gifted from her aunt. This memory of appreciating the beauty of these small yet gorgeous pieces left some magic in the designer's heart.
Years later and Arias Design Co is born.
After losing her younger brother in 2020 while being forced to remain in New Zealand due to COVID, McIntosh reached a new state of darkness.
Thankfully for the community she had around her, McIntosh got the correct help and found polymer clay as a tool for her creative outlet.
Quickly, it went from selling earrings to friends at markets and then through an online platform. All funds went towards raising awareness for mental health in her brother's memory.
The core offering of the products is polymer clay earrings, while there is often a portion of experimentation, including gemstones, resin, pressed flowers, freshwater pearls, and paints.
Keeping with her philosophy of comfort while clean, McIntosh uses lightweight, hypoallergenic materials such as stainless steel or sterling silver findings.
"I tend to think of Arias Design Co as an extension of me, so it must reflect my values regarding authenticity, transparency, and giving back to the community," said McIntosh.
Using fully recyclable packaging and not wasting the beloved materials surrounding New Zealand further encourages McIntosh's transparent perspective.
Arias Design Co donates 20% of proceeds from the jewellery towards the Mental Health Foundation and supports other organisations along the way.
The team raised over $2000 for Voices for Children, directly assisted in getting women and children out of war and supported a student in Indonesia to complete his education.
McIntosh hopes to see more of Arias Design Co stocked around local New Zealand stores and boutiques and collaborate with organisations with a strong presence in the mental health sector.
"The ultimate dream is for the jewellery side of the business to be able to support the mental health awareness side and campaign for better mental health," said McIntosh passionately.
