Shop in Spotlight: Anagon Collection

Anagon Collection is an online shop owned by Ana Gonzales of The Fashionista Commuter. It formally opened in December 2005 but before that Anagon, as everyone now refers to her, liked selling stuff back in college. She tells me she even sold tie-dyed sandos and beaded slippers! But then, her friend suggested she sell accessories so it's easier to bring. Since Anagon loves crafts, she tried her hand at accessory making. And thus came Anagon! :)

The story behind the name Anagon Collection is quite funny. She said because her classmates were so used to selling her things, one day, a makulit classmate of hers would tease her "O, ayan na si Anagon Collection!", and the name stuck.

Like every other business starting out, Anagon recounts that the first few months that she opened her online shop, she had to learn the ropes. "Everything was experimental", she says. But because of love for the craft, she pursued and slowly, everything is paying off. She gets featured in a lot of publications, like PhilStar, Candy Mag, and even Business World! But more than the recognition she gets, she says meeting new people, the feeling that she was able to create something that people will love and actually earning from it is something that Ana loves about having her own business.

Anagon Collection sells accessories which caters to the modern day flower children who love accessorizing, don't want to spend a lot and still look hip (that would explain the logo then :P). Right now, their best-selling items are the wire accessories because they're unique. People have been clamoring for the personalized wire key chains, which are ideal to give out for Christmas, though Ana's personal fave is the gold wired headband, which you can wear to holiday parties.

Ana's advice to new shop owners:

Find your niche, and don't rely on fads. Not saying you don't follow them, but create something that will make you standout.

Thank you Ana for the time. :)

Follow her at The Fashionista Commuter.

Like Anagon Collection on Facebook here.

Check out their website here.

**Shop in Spotlight is a new section on my blog. It's where I feature shops that have tickled my fancy. :)