How Aliya Chen’s Love of Jewelry and the Beach Inspired Her Brand, Stay Golden HI
With well over 800k followers and 52 million likes on TikTok, it's no stretch to say that Stay Golden HI Jewelry is a viral brand—and it all starts with founder Aliya Chen.
Aliya was born in China before moving to Hawaii at the age of 3. She spent much of her childhood assisting her mom at her feng shui store, and those influences can be felt in her Stay Golden HI jewelry designs even today. She's run the company for three years, managing to make it a million-dollar business in less than one thanks to her sleek, high-quality pieces and bold social media presence. In addition to having a great aesthetic, the pieces are long-lasting and affordable, with everything available for $48 or less. They're also tarnish-free and waterproof to match a beachy lifestyle, as well as being safe for sensitive skin. For us, it was love at first sight, which is why we had to learn more about the brand. Check out our full interview with Aliya below.
Name: Aliya Chen
IG handle: @staygoldenhi
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
1. Aliya's love for style and accessories is all about self-expression.
"It could make you look more put together and come across like you tried. You can tell a lot about someone's aesthetics by the type of jewelry they wear and how much they wear too."
-Aliya Chen
(via Stay Golden HI Jewelry)
2. Her personal style is all about comfort.
"If I can look comfy while also looking cute, I'm all in. Currently, I love graphic tees and tanks with mid-low maxi dresses."
-Aliya Chen
3. Her jewelry brand, Stay Golden HI, is very founder-focused.
"A lot of companies don't believe that is always the best thing. Some brands can argue that having a founder-focused business devalues the worth of the business. However, I love that my customers know who I am and see me as their friend. When I first started my business on TikTok, I shared with them my process of running my business in my mom's living room. I love being transparent about my business to them. On top of that, all our jewelry is waterproof and tarnish-free. Our business is based in Hawaii, so that really was a no-brainer for me. I really don't see the point of spending any sort of amount on a piece of jewelry and having it turn green on you after wearing it a few wears. It's honestly very unsustainable and a waste of time. All our jewelry is made with stainless steel, which is a 100% recycled metal, and the best part is it's affordable and durable while keeping the integrity of the quality. We also sell piercing jewelry such as nose rings and belly rings. I branched off into piercing jewelry because I was personally getting into piercings myself and didn't see any in the market I liked. Styles from Hot Topic and Spencer's were too grunge and exotic for me."
-Aliya Chen
(via Stay Golden HI Jewelry)
Also read about: How a High School Passion Project Became Dessy Hairis's Booming Swimwear Brand, Bydee
4. When she's in a rush, her go-to outfit is a graphic tank and midi or maxi dress.
5. The best advice she ever got was, "You don't find passion, you build it."
"Everyone makes the word passion seem like a word that you're gifted or born with. Reality is, passions are just skill sets that you've learned to tweak and practice time over time. You then become passionate about it after you get good because confidence leads to passion."
-Aliya Chen
6. Her favorite piece of jewelry is her Wishes & Dreams Good Luck Charm.
"This necklace was inspired by my childhood, and it means 'May all your wishes and dreams come true.'"
-Aliya Chen
(via Stay Golden HI Jewelry)
Also read about: How Alicia Zeng Turned Her Love of Beauty Into an Eyelash Empire With Lilac St.
7. She's also loved staying on-trend in the brand's Cuban Initial Necklace in the letter A.
"I love that it's customizable and fits like a choker close to your collarbone so it looks very flattering on any top you wear."
-Aliya Chen
(via Stay Golden HI Jewelry)
8. Above everything else, Aliya is a very optimistic person.
"I'm very hopeful and desire the feeling of inspiration. I'm constantly doing my best to see the best things in the worst situations and hearing and asking questions about others so I can feel inspired."
-Aliya Chen
To learn more about our favorite inspiring women in business, click HERE to read our feature with ANNEMARIE BÖRLIND managing director Alicia Lindner.