About

About Us

IRE AJE
Pronounced: EE-RAY AH-JAY.

An ode to refined opulence and homage to the Yoruba orisha of prosperity

Ire Aje creates versatile women’s jewelry and accessories with an African-centered point of view and sophisticated global appeal. From elegant pendant necklaces and hoop earrings to captivating cuffs and charm bracelets, our jewelry is designed with divine intention and adorned with one or more Adinkra symbols, making every accessory a high-fashion talisman that blends easily into any every-day wardrobe. They’re perfect as treasured parts of your wardrobe and as heirloom gifts.

Founder and designer, Issa Gray, counts the elder women of her family among the strongest inspirations for our brand because they taught her the importance of cultural representation and the power of symbolic accessories. Specifically, her Grandma Clarice’s visionary approach to life created a legacy of entrepreneurship and instilled the spirit of self-determination in her that she aims to encourage in other women through her jewelry. In fact, a vintage charm bracelet that her grandmother bequeathed to her heavily influenced her decision to launch our brand.

Just as her Grandma Clarice selected each charm on that bracelet to represent a facet of her life’s story, Issa selects each Adinkra symbol in our collection to channel a specific feeling of empowerment. For example, our Sankofa styles feature a symbol that invokes the concept of looking to your history and heritage to see yourself and your present more clearly. Meanwhile, our 18K gold-plated necklaces and earrings adorned with the Bese Saka symbol conjure a sense of abundance.

OUR WHY

We believe that every woman deserves to experience luxury, as well as a sense of empowerment, and we deliver that through our accessories. For example, our Sankofa styles feature a symbol that invokes the concept of looking to your history and heritage to see yourself and your present more clearly. Meanwhile, our 18K gold-plated necklaces and earrings adorned with the Bese Saka symbol conjure a sense of abundance. These styles represent a connection to our African ancestry and a commitment to a collectively prosperous future.

Whether you’re wearing a single Adinkra-adorned ring, stacking a couple of cuffs, layering a few necklaces or rocking our symbolic statement hoops, our jewelry helps you make any day feel like a special occasion. More than mere accessories, we create conversation pieces that look as great with formal attire as they do with casual outfits.

Community empowerment and cooperative economics are core values at Ire Aje, so we participate in various open-air markets and collaborative events. We’re also headquartered in the historically Black West End neighborhood of Atlanta, GA, which allows us to support other Black-owned businesses nearby and help resources remain in our community. In the near future, we plan to expand our contributions to communal success by partnering with organizations that uplift youth and women entrepreneurs.

OUR VISION FOR TOMORROW:

As our brand grows in economic power and in product offerings, we’ll increase our work to help other Black-owned businesses grow. In addition to patronizing more vendors, we’ll partner with organizations that uplift youth and Black women entrepreneurs.