Local designer, Deena Kanafani, is a long-time believer in the powers of the evil eye, which is meant to protect its wearers from those who look at them with envy or dislike, as well as bring peace of mind and replace negative with positive thoughts. While Deena wanted to incorporate the evil eye into her everyday ensembles, she found it too expensive to do so. This is where she saw a fashion void and decided to fill it by creating her own evil eye accessory collection, dmk Swag. Deena brings customers beautiful evil eye bracelets for less without sacrificing style (average $15 a bracelet). Deena recently released several new designs with new meaning. Read on to learn more about Deena’s style, designs and beliefs:
How did fashion play a role in your life growing up?
As far back as elementary school I remember marching to the beat of my own drum compared to my peers when it came to fashion. I traveled a lot growing up and I was always fascinated with the fashion-forward women in Paris, Rome and New York. I have this vivid memory of throwing a fit whenever my mom tried to make me wear jeans.
What is your style aesthetic?
Personally, I think jewelry makes an outfit. I mix and match a lot, my go-to everyday wear is a stack of my bracelets with a Gucci watch, an antique ring passed down to me from my great grandmother and a Cross necklace from Forever 21. This combo seems to compliment whatever I feel like wearing on a daily basis.
When/why did you start designing your jewelry line?
It all happened on accident really. I started making these bracelets purely for myself after the inspiration came during a trip to Istanbul, Turkey. People started to ask me where I got them and if I sold them. After a while I figured I could turn this into a business because the demand seemed to be there.
What is your design process?
I love going to bead-stores and buying whatever catches my eye. I then go into my design zone where I lay out the basic 22 Karat plated gold beads, evil eye beads and the rest of my inventory and wait until I feel inspired to put certain pieces together. There’s this wonderful bead store in Los Angeles that had the most unique and fun beads, but unfortunately they closed down. Luckily I stocked up before they did!
Where do you get your inspiration? Did you inspiration change from your past to your most current collection?
Occasionally I’ll have a vision of something in my mind that I want to make for a particular outfit, but I mainly find inspiration when I see my options in front of me. It’s trial and error a lot of the time. If I make a certain piece and don’t feel excited about it, I don’t feel comfortable selling it. It’s strange, I get inspired sort of AFTER I make a piece.
I have a friend who is a guidance counselor at a local high school and she said one of her students had on my jewelry recently, I find that extremely inspiring mainly because I hope wearing the evil eye gives these young girls a sense of confidence and protection, which can be necessary in high-school.
How have you and your designs grown and evolved from some of your early pieces (for example the new wraps, which ECC loves)?
My pieces are conceptual, there’s a deeper function to the pieces beyond fashion. The evil eye is meant to be worn to protect you from harmful intentions of others and I love the idea of wearing them with that purpose. I’ve evolved in a sense where I’ve gone beyond the evil eye and have incorporated pieces such as the infinity sign and the karma circle. I like to get creative with my pieces while maintaining depth.
Have you considered expanded to other accessories other than bracelets (necklace, earrings, etc)?
People ask me this all the time, I think my next venture will be necklaces.
Besides online, where can we find your designs?
I’m continuously expanding and my jewelry can be found at Lipstick Lounge – Kentlands (Gaithersburg, MD), My Best Friends Closet (Rockville, MD), Ice Jewelry Montgomery Mall (Bethesda, MD), Gold Palace Montgomery Mall (Bethesda, MD), The Gold Store (Kensington, MD).
What is your favorite way to wear your jewelry or an innovative way you’ve seen someone wear your designs?
That’s the coolest part about being a jewelry designer is seeing the way people incorporate my pieces into their style, I recently made someone a rose-gold evil eye bracelet and she said she wears it with her high-fashion rose gold watch which is really fun! My bracelets are super versatile. I wear them every day, but the stack gets bigger or smaller depending on what I’m wearing. I was recently at a music festival and wore a wrap on top of 5 or 6 other bracelets, if I’m going to a more formal event I’ll wear one or two.
Thanks to Deena of dmk Swag for sharing with ECC! Shop dmk Swag for yourself now and for friends and family this upcoming holiday season. These bracelets are amazing for gifts, especially stocking stuffers!
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East Coast Chic (ECC) began as a fashion blog in 2010. I created ECC because the diversity of style on the East Coast is inspirational and endless. ECC allows me to share my favorite fashion thoughts and spots from my headquarters in Washington, DC, as well as other trend setting states along the East Coast and beyond. 
