The People Who Shape Alya Pearls

Meet the Girls Behind Alya Pearls

Three girls, one studio — and a shared love for light.

1. When Growth Brings New Questions

After I founded Alya Pearls Studio and shipped my very first order, something unexpected began to happen — people started to find us.
Our small Instagram page slowly gained followers, and soon, orders began to grow faster than I had imagined.

But with that growth came confusion.
In China’s old pearl industry last centeny, most companies export loose pearls or half-processed strands - raw materials for other jewelers around the world.
Very few of us ever sold finished jewelry directly to customers.

Compared to Western jewelry brands, our strengths and weaknesses were both obvious.

We had the supply chain advantage — total control over cost and quality.
I could personally pick the brightest pearl from 50-kilos of harvest for a loyal customer.
Imagine that: sifting through thousands of pearls until you find the one that catches the light just right.
It’s exhausting — and yet, it’s a little bit magical.

But when it came to branding and marketing, we were lost.
We didn’t have golden beaches or blonde-haired models, and English wasn’t our first language.
Reaching an international audience felt like learning to walk again — one hesitant step at a time.

That’s when I met Lulu and Sheiry - who would change everything for me.

2. Lulu — The Bridge Between Worlds

If you’ve ever joined one of our Instagram or TikTok livestreams, you already know Lulu — she’s the warm, smiling voice behind the camera.

Lulu’s story crosses continents.
She grew up in China, lived in the United States, earned her graduate degree in Japan, and later worked there before moving to New Zealand.
That’s where we met, a mussel factory called Talley’s during our working holiday.
Not the most glamorous setting, but that’s the kind of place where real connections begin.

Lulu understands both East and West.
She’s seen the pace of Tokyo and the calm of small New Zealand towns.
She brings that balance into our studio - helping shape how we communicate, how we present beauty.

For example, I used to insist on using sterling silver for every design - a nod to traditional Chinese taste.
But Lulu encouraged me to experiment with Gold-plated pieces, and this year, we’re finally bringing that idea to life. And she is totally right, our customers do love gold color much more, it do make our sales grown!
Her intuition has helped us see our pearls through a global lens, without ever losing our cultural roots.

Lulu's first Live on Instagram!

3. Sheiry — The Art of Precision and Calm

Then there’s Sheiry, our designer and A Perfectionist.
If you’ve ever ordered a custom piece from us, chances are your jewelry passed through her hands.

She can spot the tiniest imperfection on a 2mm pearl, and she pairs earrings by eye faster than anyone I’ve ever met - matching size, tone, and luster until everything feels effortless.
For long necklaces and custom designs, she personally decides the sequence of every pearl, measuring, balancing, and refining until it sings.

Sheiry lives in the countryside of China, surrounded by her garden.
She loves succulents, small bonsai, and the rhythm of growing things.
Nature is her teacher, she draws inspiration from quiet mornings and soft light filtering through leaves. Her work carries that same calm precision, a balance between softness and control that feels deeply feminine.

Last year, she welcomed her first baby girl into the world.
We paused custom orders for a month, and during that time, she sent me a photo of her daughter holding a single oversized pearl in her tiny hands.
It was the most beautiful image - a reminder that life, like pearls, takes time to grow.

4. Together, We Shape Pearls into Stories

Every studio has its rhythm, and ours moves quietly between the three of us.

I carry the vision and the connection to where our pearls come from — our hometown, where nearly seventy percent of the world’s freshwater pearls are born.
Lulu bridges cultures and voices, and Sheiry adds her calm precision and grace.

Together, we shape these small treasures into pieces that tell stories — stories that start here and find their way to you.

As for the rest of our team - Aunt Lin, Uncle Li (our incredible chef), and friends like Shi, Qi, and Liu — I’ll introduce them to you when the time comes.
Each of them is a part of our story, and I can’t wait for you to meet them.