A New Chapter: Reconnecting With My Chinese Roots Through Modern Chinese Jewellery

For a while, I wasn’t entirely sure where Atelier Akina was heading. There were moments when I felt lost, and I came close to letting go of Atelier Akina but something about it still asked me to stay.

Why I Started Atelier Akina

When I opened Atelier Akina in 2023, I thought I was simply returning to my childhood love of crafting beautiful things with my hands. After seven years of building a career in UX/UI design, I realised I had lost touch with who I was. My ambition had slowly shifted me away from what I truly enjoyed and what I actually wanted for myself.

Designing and crafting jewellery became my way back.

From Burnout to Making Jewellery by Hand

By 2023, I was seven years into my career and completely burnt out. There was a period where I dreaded going into work, sometimes waking up already overwhelmed. I questioned whether this was the life I wanted to keep living.

I sought help from a professional and together we discovered my desire to reconnect with the physical world. Since entering the workforce in 2017, I had spent almost all my time designing for digital screens, creating, solving, and building entirely in the virtual space.

That realisation led me back to making jewellery. By the end of 2023, I opened Atelier Akina. Just over two years later, designing and handcrafting jewellery has helped me heal from burnout and reconnect with myself. Each piece brought a sense of grounding and clarity. But by the end of 2025, I realised something important: this journey was about more than creating jewellery that simply makes you feel beautiful.

What a Trip to China Made Me Realise

While building Atelier Akina, I started to feel lost again. I knew something was missing, but I couldn’t quite name it. I pivoted and tried so many things. I was looking for direction and it got to the point where I felt like the right step was to close the business. But unexpectedly, a spontaneous trip to China in April shifted everything.

I’ve been fortunate to travel to a number of countries, but seeing how culture is woven into everyday life in China felt different. Women wore qipao without needing a special occasion. Children, young adults, and elders all wore jade jewellery or simple beaded bracelets. There was no explanation and no special occasion needed. They simply lived and breathed their own culture.

Witnessing this left a big impact on me. It made me realise how disconnected I had become from my own Chinese cultural roots, and I felt a sudden need to reconnect with and celebrate my heritage.

Photograph: Inspired by the local people in China, I picked up pieces from a qipao store and styled them into my everyday wardrobe for a modern look.

Feeling Disconnected From My Own Roots

Seeing how naturally culture was embraced in everyday life in China made me question why that connection had faded for so many of us, including myself!

I felt disconnected from my own roots. That discomfort forced me to confront something I had avoided for years: how far I had drifted from my Chinese cultural identity.

Growing Up Between Two Cultures

Growing up as a second-generation Chinese Australian, raised by immigrant parents, I often felt caught between two worlds. Some traditions faded naturally. Others were quietly set aside in the pursuit of fitting in. Westernising myself felt like the easiest way to belong.

Chinese dress and jewellery were usually reserved for cultural moments like Lunar New Year. Qipao were worn by young children or elders during events, not in everyday life. Jade jewellery was mostly worn by first-generation Chinese, pendants and bangles passed down through family. As second-generation Chinese, many of us avoided wearing these pieces altogether. Western culture favoured simplicity, and traditional Chinese design was often seen as too ornate or out of place.

It’s also common for second-generation Chinese in Australia to not speak their family’s native language fluently. For the first time in my life, I felt ashamed that I couldn’t speak the language of my heritage. I began to fear that, over time, our culture could quietly disappear as generations move further away from it.

But now, in my thirties, I see things differently.

Why My Vision for Atelier Akina Is Evolving

Over time, it became clear that Atelier Akina was growing alongside me. What started as a personal way to heal from burnout slowly revealed a bigger purpose.

I began noticing more second-generation Chinese wanting to reconnect with their roots in small, personal ways. I want Atelier Akina to be part of that shift. While wearing traditional Chinese dress like qipao can feel bold in a Westernised society, jewellery offers a quieter, more natural way to stay connected. It becomes a simple reminder of your heritage, something you carry with you every day.

Modern Chinese Jewellery that Celebrates your Roots

Today, Atelier Akina is becoming a space for modern Chinese jewellery, jewellery that helps second-generation Chinese reconnect with their cultural roots in a way that feels natural, wearable, and relevant to modern life. Pieces inspired by history, symbolism, and materials once traded along the Silk Road, designed to be worn not just on special occasions, but every day.

Photograph: Red Lucky Lantern Earrings by Atelier Akina

Who This Is For

My hope is to help those who feel culturally “in between” rediscover a sense of belonging through jewellery that honours where we come from, while embracing who we are today. I'm excited to continue building a community that helps people feel connected with their culture - whether they're Chinese or not.

If you’re curious to see how others wear Atelier Akina in their everyday lives, you can explore our Customer Lookbook. And if this story resonates with you, you’re welcome to join our newsletter below for more reflections like this in the future.