São Paulo – Architect Fabiana Bezerra never thought that after her father gave her that sample of golden grass, a variety typical of the Tocantins state’s Jalapão region, her life would change so much. Including her profession. Now an expert in costume jewellery production using the bright raw material, Fabiana became a businesswoman by establishing her own company, Art da Terra, in 2007. The enterprise based in Palmas, the capital of Tocantins, earns over 80% of its revenues from exports of earrings, rings, necklaces and bracelets. The plan, from now on, is to invest in new markets, such as the Arab countries.
The list of countries that buy the golden grass items comprises Germany, Austria, Spain, the United States, France, Greece, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Portugal, Switzerland and Turkey. “We started out with Spain, in 2007,” explains Fabiana.
According to the entrepreneur, the foreign market has always been a priority. “We put together a website, which by the way is being revamped right now, with information in Spanish, French and English,” says Fabiana. “It was through internet contacts that we began selling to foreign countries, six months after establishing Art da Terra,” she explains.
The next steps include gaining new foreign clients. “We are highly interested in selling to the Arabs, we just haven’t had a chance yet,” she says. “We know that in those countries, they really enjoy golden tones in their costume jewellery,” she claims. According to Fabiana, her only Arab customers for the time being “are the businessmen living in São Paulo” or “those from other states of Brazil, whom we meet at the trade shows we go to.”
Art da Terra releases two costume jewellery collections a year, one in January and the other in June. Each collection features two lines: one with gold-plated products and another more artisanal one, using organic materials combined with the golden grass. “A total of around 25 people do the work, and each is in charge of a different stage of production,” explains Fabiana. “The gold-plated items, for instance, get plated in another state,” she says.
So much effort paid off last year, as the company was awarded in the last two editions of Eclat de Mode – Bijorhca, a trade show for jewellery, costume jewellery and watches held in Paris, France. The company also featured in the “Bijoux Textiles” exhibition, focused on accessories made from textile materials, held at the Fashion Gallery, a museum in Hong Kong. “Only 20 designers from around the world were selected,“ the golden grass entrepreneur says proudly.
Contact:
Art da Terra
Telephone: (+55 63) 3216-1444
Email: artdaterra@gmail.com
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
