Our brand
About Onilium
Based in Canada and handmade in Colombia, Onilium is a statement jewelry brand designed at the intersection of romanticism and maximalism. Our pieces are created with care, for those who want to curate a wardrobe of unique, meaningful pieces, as well as those who are socially and sustainably conscious. We believe in the practice of mindfully and purposefully choosing the items that adorn our bodies, which then inevitably reflect each of our individual stories, a principle which is reflected in everything we do as a brand.
Every Onilium piece is handmade by our network of Colombian artisans. We mostly use partly recycled bronze that is then double plated in 24K Gold or Silver, but also use pure .925 and .999 Silver for some of our pieces. Motivated by our environmentally-conscious mission, we also encourage customers to send us their pre-loved jewelry to recycle, or to be restored by our artisans.
About Our founder and Creative Director
Barbara Palacio was born in Medellin, Colombia, where she Studied two years Fashion Design in Medellín, Colombia. She then continued to pursue her passion for fashion and art in Milan, Italy, where she studied Fashion Styling and Design in 2015 at IED. While in Milan, Barbara participated in events held by brands such as Milan fashion week and design week. In 2016, Barbara moved to Canada to study Fashion Design and Communication at Ryerson University, where she graduated in 2021.
She dedicated her final year at Ryerson University, and her graduate Capstone project, to creating a jewelry brand that focuses on the story and essence of each individual, working with peers and mentors to create something that she and her team were incredibly proud of. It was from this project that Onilium was born.
Now, Barbara is pursuing her lifelong goal of becoming an entrepreneur within the fashion industry, creating jewelry for customers like herself that value unique pieces, produced with social responsibility and sustainability in mind. In her words: “I truly believe in the values that Onilium was founded on, and think it is of the utmost importance that as the new generation of designers, entrepreneurs etc., enter the fashion industry, we continue to push towards more socially conscious and ethical practices, as well as advocate and enact diversity and inclusivity.
Philanthropy
We believe in the importance of social responsibility, and work very hard to ensure that our artisans are treated ethically and paid fairly, our supply chain is as transparent as possible, and our products are made in small batches to create minimal waste. This is why we maintain such close and communicative relationships with all of our artisans and suppliers, who we consider an integral part of the Onilium family.
Where its made/ materials
Every Onilium piece is handmade. We mostly use partly recycled bronze that is then double plated in 24K Gold or Silver, also we use pure .925 and .999 Silver for some of our pieces. All of the materials used are sourced locally in Colombia.
Why Colombia?
Our founder Barbara Palacio was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia before moving abroad to pursue her dream of studying fashion. And it’s no secret that Colombia has some of the world’s most talented artisans, high quality natural resources,as well as the unique style that latin american offers to the world. So as a Colombian herself, Barbara could think of no better place to establish the production of her jewelry brand.