The DOTŁ’IZHI Stilettos: The Day I Learned My Worth

In 2018, I wasn’t building a brand.

I was sitting in the hallway of an art center while my daughter took her class. I brought beads with me to pass the time — something I had always done for family, for ceremony, for us.

I never imagined it would become what it is today.

Another mother sat beside me and watched my hands move. She asked if I would create something for her.

I hesitated.

Because what I made felt sacred. Personal. Not product.

But I said yes.

I created small pieces and charged almost nothing. Twenty dollars. I didn’t yet understand the value of my work in the marketplace.

Then she asked for a statement piece.

On May 9th, 2018, The DOTŁ’IZHI Stilettos were born.

Long. Structured. Unapologetic.

As I made them, something shifted inside me.

They were not small.
They were not quiet.
They were not $20 earrings.

So when I sent her the finished photo, I sent a new price.

Her response was immediate.

“They’re ugly.”
“They’re too big.”
“They don’t look high quality.”
“I’ll only pay $20.”

I was hurt.

But for the first time, I didn’t shrink.

I said no.

That “no” changed everything.

Soon after, I submitted The DOTŁ’IZHI Stilettos to Phoenix Fashion Week and was accepted into their online bootcamp. I became runner-up in the competition. A Native designer reached out for a runway collaboration. That runway led to magazine features, Paris Fashion Week, and film placement.

The same earrings someone once dismissed.

The DOTŁ’IZHI Stilettos were not just the beginning of a brand.

They were the moment I chose my worth.

Before there was the triangle,
there was the Stiletto.

The DOTŁ’IZHI Stilettos are now a permanent part of the house — made to order in your chosen color story.