When does a handmade brand stop being “cute” and start compounding? Often, it’s not a viral Reel or a massive ad budget. It’s one aligned partnership, a repeatable sales mix, and relentless perseverance.
Meet Vania Truchsess—Venezuelan-born, New Zealand-based maker behind Vania, a jewelry label inspired by nature and gemstones. Her pieces range from everyday unisex beads to feather-light woven “Daydreamer” earrings and gemstone necklaces crafted with freshwater pearls and 14k gold-filled findings that don’t tarnish. Today her sales split sits around 60% wholesale / 40% retail, her busy season runs September to May, and her brand is living proof that wholesale can lift DTC rather than cannibalise it.
The Origin Story: Beads, Courage, and Craft
Vania started making jewellery at eight, growing up amidst political and economic turmoil in Venezuela. Surrounded by capable women—an aunt who beaded, a family friend who ran a shop, and Dionisia, a caregiver who crocheted—she internalised two truths early: you can make with your hands, and you can sell what you make.
After moving to New Zealand, she juggled study, babysitting, and weekend markets. The Kiwi aesthetic nudged her to refine her colourful Venezuelan vibe into something that resonated locally, without losing her essence. A short corporate stint confirmed what she already knew: numbers on a sales sheet didn’t light her up, but making did. So she doubled down on her craft and grew the brand in the margins.
The Credibility Flywheel: Why One Partnership Matters
The inflection point came via a relationship that started… with babysitting. A friend and longtime Karen Walker team member wore Vania’s pieces to work. Curiosity sparked, a conversation began, and Vania was invited into Karen Walker Makers—a curated collective of small makers.
Here’s what changed:
- Credibility: Being stocked by a trusted fashion house signalled quality and reliability.
- Stockist interest: Buyers who previously passed suddenly replied. “If Karen Walker is backing her, we should look again.”
- DTC lift: Customers discovered the brand in-store, then explored (and bought) pieces exclusive to Vania’s site.
Lesson: Distribution builds brand. Wholesale exposure doesn’t kill your website; it often fuels it by multiplying touchpoints.
Pricing, Margins, and the Annual Edit
Handmade categories are saturated. Differentiation isn’t just design—it’s discipline. Every year, Vania revisits:
- Range architecture: What’s selling? What’s noise?
- Pricing & margins: Do bulk buys improve margin, or create cash flow strain?
- Channel fit: Which pieces belong in wholesale vs. DTC?
- Seasonality: How do we balance NZ seasonality with Australian demand?
Brands avoid this work because it’s not glamorous. But editing is what keeps a range desirable and profitable. (Pro tip: if your sales are “random,” your range and pricing likely need a hard look before you push for more traffic.)
Trade Shows: One Great Stockist Beats 30 Maybes
Trade shows are expensive, especially for a small team. But the ROI lens matters. Vania treats shows as an LTV acquisition channel: even one right stockist can deliver ~$5k+ annually and reorder monthly. That flips the goal from “collect orders” to “land the right partner.” In tight seasons (hello, Father’s Day distractions), she stays the course, knowing September/October is when many retailers shift focus to Christmas.
The DTC Engine: Simple, Sustainable, Human
Vania doesn’t try to be everywhere. Her stack is intentionally simple:
- Email marketing (Flodesk): Consistent contact that doesn’t rely on the algorithm.
- Social (organic + paid): Awareness, retargeting, storytelling.
- In-person: Select markets (General Collective) and beading workshops that convert participants into customers.
Workshops are a secret weapon. They build appreciation for the craft, deepen brand connection, and spark the best kind of word-of-mouth: “I made this with Vania.”
Collabs & Long-Term Partners
Collaboration “borrows” audiences while adding freshness to your brand. Vania’s Karen Walker partnership is an anchor, and she continues to test new in-store activations (like with Suprette in NZ). In Australia, she’s exploring collabs that align with her aesthetic. The filter now is clear: long-term, values-aligned partners over one-night stands. Quality relationships scale better than a spreadsheet of sporadic stockists.
Creativity vs. CEO Time (and Why Grace Matters)
A typical rhythm for Vania: ship orders in the morning, create and repair in the afternoon, admin and planning every second day. She also honours late-night creative bursts when the muse insists. The real shift this year? Grace. Instead of beating herself up for a bulk clasp order or a product that didn’t land, she treats everything as data. Stress crushes creativity; grace keeps the soul in the work—customers can feel the difference.
Evolving the Brand: Toward Fine Jewellery
Authenticity fuels evolution. Vania is slowly adding fine jewellery skills so she can offer heirloom-worthy pieces alongside her beloved beads and gemstones. It’s a natural next chapter: same eye, deeper craftsmanship, higher lifetime value.
What Success Looks Like (Beyond Revenue)
Revenue matters, but meaning multiplies it. A customer pierced her ears just to wear Vania’s earrings. Another found daily calm touching a bracelet during grief. Friends across countries wear matching pieces to feel close. That’s not “just jewellery.” That’s connection, ritual, and memory—exactly what great product brands sell.
Steal-This Playbook
- Edit relentlessly. Your range and pricing need scheduled check-ins.
- Pursue credibility. One marquee partner can unlock years of compounding trust.
- Think LTV at trade shows. One right stockist > 30 low-fit orders.
- Build a simple DTC spine. Email + one marketable in-person channel + social.
- Collaborate on purpose. Long-term partners who share your values and vision.
- Protect creative energy. Systems for admin, grace for the human.
- Tell people what you do. Your next opportunity needs an invitation.
Listen to the full episode to hear the unfiltered story, the Karen Walker details, and how Vania keeps perseverance front and centre.
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