Feels Like Sunshine
Brand Spotlight: By Alona
One of my favourite things about writing The Inside Pocket is stumbling across brands that feel like they were made just for me (and who knows, maybe for you too.)
You know the kind: a necklace that reminds you of the sea, a pair of earrings that make you feel a bit like a siren, a little shinier, a little more yourself. I’ve always had a soft spot for jewellery that feels like it holds a memory. Maybe it’s my Mediterranean roots, but I’m drawn to anything that glows like the sun on water. Pieces that remind me of salty slower days, the ones I long for constantly.
Growing up in Sardinia, I was raised to respect the sea deeply, as many Sardinians are. I remember finding beautiful shells on the shore and painfully knowing, from school and just by the people around me, that I wasn’t supposed to take them home. That no matter how beautiful they were and how itching my desire to make them mine was, I just couldn’t. And I never really did.
I loved the sea too much to take anything from it. That reverence for nature, for beauty that’s meant to be admired but to be left untouched at the same time, still shapes the way I see things in the world. And maybe why certain pieces of jewellery feel so special to me?
That’s why I fell in love with By Alona almost instantly. It’s like now, through By Alona jewellery, I have something that reminds me of that feeling, but it’s jewellery and now I can really keep it forever. Unlike those shells on the beach I could only look at and leave behind.
By Alona creations are modern and sculptural, yes, but there’s also something deeply nostalgic and sensuous in the details.
And you know me, I had to find out who was behind it.
Alona Shelemy, the founder and incredible woman behind it, grew up surrounded by jewellery. Her father was a fine jeweller, and that early exposure shaped how she now approaches her own creations. “Jewellery has always been part of my life,” she told me, and it shows. There’s a kind of emotional precision in her designs, a clarity that comes from someone who’s been living and breathing in this world since childhood.
But what really struck me was Alona’s story. A few years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer — something she navigated while still running the brand. “Resilience has played a huge role, running a business while going through treatment was incredibly difficult. But I couldn’t imagine stepping away. It gave me purpose.” There’s a quiet strength to her jewellery, and now I know where it comes from.
I’ve always loved jewellery made by women, for women. Not just because it often suits my style better (though it does), but because it gives objects meaning — like each piece carries the imprint of another woman’s life, her strength, her softness, her way of moving through the world. Maybe that’s why By Alona felt so right to me.
When I asked Alona what inspires her, she didn’t list trends or moodboards. “It’s the women around me,” she said. “My family, my friends, the incredible women I get to connect with through By Alona.” I love that. I love that you can wear a piece from her collection and feel not just beautiful, but part of something. Speaking with Alona gave me a sense of empowerment. It made me feel invincible because her energy is so contagious, girls,you won’t believe it. And I am so excited to see what she will create next.
So if you’re looking for something special, something that feels like a keepsake from the sea or a symbol of your own beautiful womanhood, this might really be it.
If you don’t know what to pick, I created for you a collection of the By Alona pieces in my wishlist!
Until next time,
Giulia x
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Just catching up on reading I might've missed out on, and wow I'm glad I did! This piece (and the pieces in it) are to die for x
Stunning pieces! That shell necklace looks gorgeous on you.