Aya-Nikole Cook

Biography

HAJI: one who journeys to a sacred place – a seeker of enlightenment

Sensuality, artistry, and rare beauty are the expansive ideas behind HAJI. Each gorgeous, and unique piece seeks to inspire its owner to revel in womanhood by making a ritual of adornment. HAJI inspires women to artfully reinvent themselves each time they wear it.

When Aya-Nikole Cook, creator and designer of HAJI, adorned herself with a striking pair of pheasant feather earrings on her way out for a night of dancing, she had no idea those earrings were the start of something big. Having created them only that evening, Aya headed out to her favorite Chicago dance club, and was surprised by the buzz her design created. At the end of the night, she had six orders and many, many inquiries about these beautiful earrings. Aya began sourcing materials and designing the many different styles that have become HAJI and HAJI Couture Accessories. Aya’s Fashion Design and Fine Art backgrounds inform her design decisions and bring artistry to each one-of-a-kind piece.

Established in 2006 as a small line of feather earrings, HAJI has grown to include some 20 different feather jewelry creations: necklaces, pendants, earrings, cuffs, belts, hair accessories and even shoes. The Mystic collection has gained visibility through participation in GENART’s Shop Chicago 2007 event, where METROMIX TV took notice and taped an interview for immediate airing.

An interest in the beauty of natural materials has led Aya to begin creating jewelry that incorporates bone, horn, wood, exotic leathers (snake, stingray), and precious metals for HAJI’s Fall 2007 line: Devotion. Earrings from the Devotion collection can be seen on actress Victoria Rowell in the up-coming Robert Townsend film, Of Boys and Men.