3% of sales to non-profits + supports many women's causes
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Description
Nina’s Story
After completing her Bachelor of Arts in Fashion Design at University of Missouri, Nina Berenato moved to New York and through a stroke of luck, met a jewelry designer who was seeking a production metal smithing apprentice. Nina began her first year of apprenticeship under Elizabeth Knight in 2010, but ended up working under the well-known Brooklyn-based designer for the next five years. Under her mentor’s guidance, Nina honed her craft and released her first self-designed and fabricated collection, Cosmic, after just one year of study.
While in NYC, she bootstrapped her business, working odd jobs like passing out fliers for a parking garage from 6am-8am before heading to the studio, bartending on the weekends and working as a buyer for a local retail store in the evenings. Nina grew her wholesale business little by little over the next 4 years, eventually stocking her line in over 200 shops over the US and Canada including Free People, Urban Outfitters and Uncommon Goods.
Through the advice of a free business adviser at the NYC Small Business Association, in 2015 Nina moved to Austin, TX and turned her focus to brick and mortar retail. After noticing the food truck culture around Texas, Nina decided to create a one of a kind mobile jewelry store built inside of a 1959 Airstream Bambi travel trailer. With her trailer boutique in tow, she did pop-ups all over Texas and quickly became a well-known fixture in Austin’s growing maker community. It was in Austin that Nina realized the full potential her line had, as women all over the state flooded her mobile shop to purchase her designs and meet the designer in person.
Two years later, Nina reached a life-long goal and opened up her 1900 sq ft brick and mortar flagship store, recently named Best Jewelry Store in Austin. At the Nina Berenato flagship you’ll find Nina’s original designs uniquely displayed, the work of other local female artists featured, a one-of-a-kind metal smithing studio buzzing – as classes and workshops take place each week, and most important of all, Nina at her bench, still producing each and every piece of the collection herself.
In 2019 Nina was commissioned to create ten custom face masks for Beyonce’s ‘Spirit’ and ‘Black is King’ Visual Music Video and, a project that launched the designer into the global spotlight. Since then, she has dressed musicians like Lizzo, Chloe x Halle, Billie Eilish, Alicia Keys and more as the celebrity elite continue to follow the designer and support her work.
Most recently, Nina turned her focus to teaching as a way to continue sharing her passion for American-made manufacturing and small business mentorship. Last year she completed her Women’s Entrepreneurship Certification through Cornell University and taught her signature method to over 400 aspiring jewelry designers.
Giving Back
We are in the business to empower, support, and encourage growth not only for ourselves but all the amazing people around us. At Nina Berenato, our growth is determined by the amount we are able to give back. Let’s talk about some of the ways we are putting our money where our mouth is!
Every month, we choose a new non-profit to donate 3% of all store monthly sales to. Organizations like Dress for Success, Out Youth, Casa Marianella have all been featured in our store. Stop by the shop to see which organization we picked for this month! Have an organization you love? Tell us!
We are a feminine hygiene drop off location for Flo Code ATX! Flo Code ATX is a leader and support organization in the Austin community donating over 330,000 menstrual products to 30+ organizations, shelters and natural disaster victims. Flo Code ATX is run and organized by three amazing women: Lamanda Ballard, Brooke Harrison, and Daichan Sykes.
Check out our Designs that Donate, where every purchase goes towards a good cause, like Girls Inc., The Trevor Project, and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Each item is different and we couldn’t be prouder of them!
Running a business is tough work, and we can’t keep all of this good information to ourselves! Designer and Owner Nina Berenato offers full scholarships to The Jewelry Academy for makers and artists looking to take the next step in their careers! Apply for a scholarship here.
We have an entire art wall dedicated to Austin woman artists – where 100% of the profits go directly to them. Check it out here!
We know how privileged we are to have a brick and mortar store. Which is why we host as many events for other makers as we can! Sometimes, these are the artists biggest sales days of the year. We host 3 annual shopping events for other women makers – no admittance fees attached! Be sure to follow us to make sure you don’t miss out on any of our in-store or online events!
We know how hard it is to get grants and loans – especially for women. This is why we created our own grant, The Making It Together grant. Check it out here!
Sustainability
Nina Berenato Jewelry is the first fashion retail business in Austin, Texas to earn the city’s highest sustainability honor as a Platinum Green Business Leader, going toe to toe and surpassing billion-dollar companies. Here’s why:
All products are made from recycled and refined metals sourced from United Precious Metals Refinery in Miami, FL. United has a commitment to both their environmental and Fair Wage responsibility.
None of our products contain animal products and are 100% cruelty-free. Our production & manufacturing is done locally, reducing our energy imprint and ensuring safe and fair conditions for our workers.
Our e-commerce shipping products are zero-waste and fully compostable. They have clear instructions, explaining the life cycle of their packaging and encouraging responsible disposal. We source our e-commerce packaging from North American companies Botanical Paper Work, Pure Labels and Eco-Enclose, minimizing our energy consumption in receiving these products.
Our headquarters, production studio, and storefront Austin, Texas runs off of 100% wind-powered energy.
Our in-store packaging is either recyclable or fully compostable and labeled as such. We have eliminated receipts to consume less paper and ask our customers to skip bags altogether when possible.
The founder has risen as a leader in Austin, encouraging others to join in creating a more ethical city by creating the #SeasonofSustainability movement. This initiative includes both Nina’s personal examples along with a group of videos aimed at educating both retailers and consumers on ways they can be better in their day to day consumption.
Inside of our store we have a small selection of other designers’ work. When choosing these designers, we buy plastic-free products and packaging only.
On the off chance that a customer is finished using their jewelry, our products can be returned to our store location to be refined and recycled into new pieces.
