Female Founder Friday: Carolyn Rafaelian of Alex and Ani
At the helm of invisaWear is passionate and focused girl boss, Rajia Abdelaziz. She co-founded invisaWear after her own scary experience in order to allow others to protect themselves and those they love. A trailblazer in her own right, Rajia, found inspiration in other female founders while carving her own path to entrepreneurship. We’re excited to launch a new series here on our blog, Female Founder Fridays. Through this series we’ll highlight female founders who inspire us and who are trailblazing the path for other women to follow.
Unless you’ve been under a rock since 2004 you’ve more than likely heard of the jewelry brand, Alex and Ani. The collection, made from recycled scrap metal, declares your zodiac sign, favorite hobby, an achievement, and so on. Founder, Carolyn Rafaelian, designed her first collection out of her dad’s factory basement in Rhode Island with materials she salvaged from local factories. Alex and Ani, named after Carolyn’s two eldest daughters, is known for their stackable bangle designs.
While raising her three daughters, Carolyn was able to create a multi-million dollar operation that has expanded into retail stores and licensing deals with major brands and companies, all while continuing to spreading the Alex and Ani mission of love and prosperity for all. Carolyn’s hard work, creative vision and perseverance are a true inspiration to all the girl bosses out there!
photos: invisaWear, Alex and Ani Blog
