As LVNA By Drake Dustin approaches its 5th anniversary, Drake Dustin Ibay raises a toast to the jewelry brand’s dazzling milestones and the beaming years ahead
They say that it’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world. Despite this, Drake Dustin Ibay and his team have managed to unravel a leading fine diamond jewelry brand right from the embers of their own passions. Endorsed by the likes of Ivana Alawi and Rabiya Mateo, LVNA By Drake Dustin’s rise is no fluke, and its 30-year old founder made sure to sit down with MEGA Man to tell the brand’s five-year story, uncanny leadership, and unflinching future.
FROM UNLIKELY ORIGINS
While most jewelers are known for their traditional roots, Drake Dustin Ibay built the foundations of LVNA on a sturdy ground of love for jewelry and a sound business model. Before accessorizing the biggest names in the industry, Drake was a fervent student of art, photography, and marketing, once working as a freelance photographer, an art dealer, a marketing executive, and a second placer in MEGA Fashion Crew.
Fortunately enough, Drake was able to combine his unique skills and experience with his broad connections in art and fashion in order to start LVNA from scratch. After leaving the world of fine arts, Drake established LVNA’s foothold as an online jeweler where Filipinos all around the country will be able to shop for the finest diamond pieces from the comfort of their own homes. The demand immediately overflowed, so he phoned his best friend Amalia, daughter of his then mentor, famed art critic Cid Reyes.
These early successes allowed Drake to expand the brand’s key personnel; a decision which he believes is one of the most integral to the brand’s current achievements. “Kami lang dalawa [ni Amalia] before. We started it online na kami lang dalawa. We were working in art. I used to work for them in art dealing, and then we decided to open LVNA because we really loved jewelry. Then, I started to employ my family, my siblings, [and even] my mom.”
Despite LVNA now having expanded to nine physical stores throughout the country, the brand still owes its growth to its commanding online presence. With over 453,000 followers on Instagram and 218,900 followers on Facebook as of writing, it is no wonder that almost fifty percent of LVNA’s sales come from its website. Drake attributes online accessibility as a strong point of the brand’s identity. Seeing it as
something that LVNA will continue to build on for the following years, Drake shared that his team are currently revamping their mobile app, initially launched before the pandemic, to foster deeper connections with clients and globalize the brand, adding: “Right now, we’re setting up a huge office solely for the purpose of the website and the app. Hiwalay na sa store.”
Drake seems to be a leader that never ceases to show appreciation for his people. In fact, when asked how the brand was able to maintain stability despite many challenges, Drake immediately pointed to the efforts of his staff to keep LVNA thriving.
Read more about Drake Justin’s vision for his steadily rising brand in MEGA Man’s October 2022 issue, now available on Readly, Magzter, Press Reader and Zinio.
Photography AMALIA REYES
Grooming KATRINA CRUZ
Styling GELAI HERNANDEZ
