Jewellery designer Daki Zdravka Rezic has been creating colourful works of art under her brand, DAKIDAKI designs, since 2017, when she launched the business from her kitchen table.
Originally from Croatia, Daki came to Ireland in her 20s with a bunch of friends, intending to enjoy all that Dublin city had to offer over a few weeks.
Many years later, now settled in the capital with a husband and children, she has established herself among the crafters and creators of Ireland, with not one but two big names donning her designs.
Actress and presenter Siobhan McSweeney was spotted wearing a pair of flat disc earrings from the Dublin-based brand while on the must-watch show of the year, Traitors Ireland.
Stylist Anne O'Shea dressed McSweeney in some jaw-dropping looks throughout the season, sourcing items from across the country to evoke the vibe of style icons such as Enya, Countess Markievicz, Katharine Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, and Carole Lombard.
Predominantly working with Irish brands, O'Shea borrowed a number of pieces from Daki, and in the end, McSweeney loved the disc earrings so much, she bought them for herself.
"Siobhan McSweeny was all about Irish stuff," she muses. "It was so good to see. I feel like Irish design has such good momentum right now. I think people really appreciate something that is made local".
Irish singer CMAT followed suit just a week or so after, wearing the same pair of earrings in the video for her hit song, When a Good Man Cries, from her critically acclaimed album, Euro-Country.
This video is particularly memorable thanks to the Daniel O'Donnell dress the singer wore, which was made by Donegal duo Mirren and Brodie McFeely, the twins behind Cúpla Design.
"I was at my birthday dinner, and somebody sent me a photo [of her wearing them]... it just blew my mind," Daki told RTÉ Lifestyle. "Honestly, it blew my mind. I just could not stop smiling."
The celebrity backing lent itself to "a surge of people" coming to the brand's website to check out her wares and share congratulations.
"What's really nice is that people can recognise the style," she explains, noting the flood of messages she got from people who spotted her work. "Without even knowing it's me, they'll send me messages because they recognise it. It's the nicest compliment someone can give you."
As well as leading to a boost in sales, Daki says that having stylists choose her pieces for their clients is really affirming, as she doesn't always get much feedback being self-employed.
"Something like this can come along and really give you that boost," she says.
Known for her distinctive style working with luminous metals and geometric shapes, the creative will be showcasing her latest designs at the Gifted fair in the RDS this December.
"I would always say it is vibrant jewellery, but also chic," she says of her wares. "It's feminine as well. I really draw my inspiration from ancient jewellery. It's shiny but it's not perfect."
Gifted will take place at the RDS from December 3-7. Visit www.giftedfair.ie for more info.
