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Haus of Dizzy is a handmade jewellery brand by Wiradjuri woman and self-proclaimed Queen of Bling, Kristy Dickinson. It’s a brand that, at its core, celebrates her Indigenous culture with a distinctly contemporary twist. Think bright and bold designs that weave strong political and social messages through creations that simply make you feel joy.

Dickinson launched her brand more than five years ago from her Newtown apartment, in Sydney’s inner west. But that wasn’t the beginning of her passion for jewellery design — she’s actually been creating handmade pieces for 20 years. Today, her designs can be found on her website, and also in huge, mainstream retailers like The Iconic, Tibbs and Bones, plus places like MCA Store, Museums Victoria Store, and South Australian Museum.

Dickinson and Haus of Dizzy have always been committed to encouraging crucial dialogue, whether that’s through the brand’s designs or by supporting social and political actions. To name only a few, they’ve collaborated with non-profit organisations like AYCC (Stop Adani Movement), SEED MOB (Water is life), Sydney Mardi Gras, Djirra, NAIDOC and the YWCA.

When Dickinson caught up with Business Insider Australia in March, she stressed that the best way for Australians to support small, and particularly Aboriginal-owned, businesses like hers is to “shop small and shop local”. And with the range on offer at Haus of Dizzy — from neon “Cool Aunty” earrings, to sparkly Aboriginal flag hairpins and glossy bamboo hoops — you should have no problem doing that. Keep on reading to get to know Dickinson and Haus of Dizzy a little bit better.

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your business, Haus of Dizzy?

My name is Kristy Dickinson, I’m a proud Wiradjuri woman and I am the founder of the cult fashion accessories label, Haus of Dizzy. I started my business back in 2015 — although, I have been making jewellery for many years. I was in between jobs and really wanted something that was all mine — plus, I was sick of working hard for other people without any reward. So, I buckled down and started small, selling [my jewellery] at markets across Sydney.

For the first year, I assembled every piece on my bedroom floor, but I eventually set up a workshop in a spare room of my apartment in Newtown, Sydney. It wasn’t until I moved to Melbourne that I finally got a proper studio space in Collingwood. It was small but it did the job!

Now we have an awesome new space in Fitzroy with so much room for activities (meaning, making jewellery).

What does a typical day look like for you?

Being a single mum with a business can be very challenging, each day I get my son ready and he comes to the studio with me. I begin my day by checking my emails, then making sure all the custom orders are created and ready to cut. I also like to post daily on social media, so I need to make sure I have content ready for those posts.

Wholesale orders also need to be filled along with invoicing and accounting, and I need to always check in with my eCommerce manager Krystina to make sure the website is all in order. Our days sometimes include photoshoots or interviews too, so we may be prepping for that.

How has your business developed and changed since 2020?

2020 was a big year . . . I was pregnant with, and had, my son Ziggy Lee on 7 March — a week before the COVID-19 lockdown began. It was great for the first couple of months of lockdown because I got to spend time with my newborn son. But then I started to worry that the business may suffer being in Melbourne with our strict lockdown. When I went back to work, Ziggy came with me and we found online shopping was becoming really popular because no one could go to any stores.

Then the Black Lives Matter movement had a big impact around the world and allies started to take notice and really support Blak artists and designers. It had a huge impact on my sales here in Australia. [After 2020,] people are really supporting Blak businesses and really see the value in handmade pieces over fast fashion made offshore.

How has Square helped you keep track of your cash flow since the huge uptick in Haus of Dizzy sales in the past year?

Some of the challenges I have faced have been keeping up with online orders and accounting but since implementing the Square products into my business, it’s really helped me keep on top of everything.

We are able to accept payments with our digital invoices, over the phone with the virtual terminal, and on our website. We are also able to keep an eye on cash flow with real-time updates about our sales and inventory. [Perhaps most importantly,] we will never miss a sale again with the ability to accept payments wherever we are. Another great benefit of Square is that your money is in your bank account the next business day.

What advice would you give to anyone who wants to start a business?

Be confident in your products and be true to your business and brand, be passionate in everything you do. Build a reliable team and prioritise customer support, learn from your customer and always deliver an experience your customer won’t forget. Lastly, don’t fear your competitors or be afraid to evolve or change.

What next steps for Haus of Dizzy?

We would love to have our own brick and mortar Haus of Dizzy store, hopefully by the end of the year. We also have many great collaborations coming up for 2021 so watch this space.

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