Monifa Edwards, began selling her magnificent creations as a classic street vendor in New York City. Nkosi Whittington, owner of the premiere Afrocentric jewelry store, Dar El Sudan, recognized her natural talent and she became an apprentice. Here is where she met her mentor, sculptor, Ogundipe Fayomi. with whom she collaborates on world-class projects to this day. She was also blessed to study with master jewelers Sufia DeSilva and Veronica Gee.
Fast forward to the creation of Monifa Designs Incorporated which provides individual custom and exclusive limited edition, heirloom quality jewelry and wearable art in all karats of gold, platinum, sterling and fine silver as well as brass and copper. Precious and semi-precious stones as well as the finest in antique and contemporary glass beads are also employed.
Monifa Designs was environmentally conscious and ‘green’ decades before the notion or phrase was coined. Inspiring early clients to ‘recycle’ their gold by turning old pieces into new ones, Monifa Designs provided higher value at lower costs with what she termed ‘old gold’. Always socially conscious, Monifa Designs did no work with African gold until apartheid ended in South Africa in 1990 nor worked with diamonds from that continent at all. These types of conscious practices continue today at Monifa Designs Inc.
The slogan, “Monifa Designs Inc… Where Vision Becomes Reality”, has held true over the decades never having failed to realize client needs. Throughout the years, Monifa Designs has served all genres of celebrities from Olympic Gymnast Mary Lou Retton to singer Whitney Houston. Corporate clients have included Disney, National Media Group and The Muscular Dystrophy Association. She counts the City of Mount Vernon among entities served through the creation of awards and fundraising products for its “Arts On Third” initiative.
Monifa herself ‘gives back’ through teaching classes for such not-for-profits as “Feel The Music” and “Bailey’s Café”. Through these organizations she has taught ages 5 through 102 years of age!