Curating a classic yet timeless jewelry design is no challenge for Klarisa Crespo, CEO of KC Chic Designs. From assembling a close-knit team to providing customers with unique styles and meaningful connections, KC Chic Designs attributes its success to a constant engagement with the surrounding community and its own humble beginnings.
While the company was officially founded in 2016, Crespo first entertained the idea of designing pieces upon receiving a birthday party invite. Unable to find jewelry that matched the style she had in mind, Crespo embarked on a trip to Michael’s to craft her own piece for the event. Her jewelry was received as an instant success at the party, garnering interest from friends and the community.
Crespo quickly began operating out of her home with help from her husband, Antonio, and family to meet the growing product demand. While Crespo had been teaching at a center for students with exceptionalities at the time, she officially took a leave of absence in 2019 so that both she and Antonio could dedicate themselves to this project full time.
Developing a unique product line first begins after a thorough analysis of current trends as well as sifting through archives to derive inspiration. As the company is now comprised of a team of 12, meetings are hosted to share sketches before selected drawings are sent off to the company’s exclusive manufacturer. Additionally, all pieces are designed to be water-resistant, tarnish-proof and free from nickel, lead and brass to improve product quality and longevity.
“Klarisa definitely stays on top of all the trends, and she has a very keen eye for fashion, so having that is just like a bonus for curating the perfect jewelry pieces,” said Abbie DeWeese, KC Chic Designs chief PR officer.
Most popular now are the company’s Moissanite GRA-certified and Personalized Collections. Moissanite offers customers designs that test like and imitate the look of a diamond for greater affordability. The Personalized Collection allows customers to play a greater role in the design process.
Having recently packed and shipped its 100,000th order, Crespo remains thankful for how the community has helped KC Chic Designs grow.
“We make really meaningful relationships with our customers, so our return rate is pretty high,” said Crespo. “Our customers want to support us and do support us, and I think that’s what made the biggest difference.”
For more information on KC Chic Designs, please visit www.kcchicdesigns.com or call 813-924-7680. Open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., KC Chic Designs is located at 4343 Lynx Paw Trail in Valrico.
