ALEXANDRA WEARING THE DIVINE TRIBE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNA MARIA SANDEGREN

A DIVINE JOURNEY 

BY STEPHANIE CAJUCOM

The bold, the brave and the unafraid of the boundaries; the spirit that drives the excavators of The Divine Tribe. Fearless leader, Chad Ypon takes his alliance of adventurers to the ends of the earth to uncover the raw, rustic beauties that make up his one-of-a-kind pieces. 

With a discerning eye and a nomadic soul, Ypon creates and curates a medley of culture and class, jewelry that does more than captivate with looks. His unique components work together to tell the secret stories of their origins.

His eyes lit up as we began uncovering his origins in divinity.  “I met a group of African people that were making jewelry from crystals for healing purposes. They were going to Namibia to get crystals and they asked me to join them”. What he found there was more than crystals; he unearthed a passion deep within himself.

A free spirit with a fire in his soul, he follows his inner compass, finding muses in the most foreign of places.  

His inspirations also stem from pride in heritage and history. “ The most impactful people in my life are my grandfather Felino and my son Felino”.  We see this in his work, as he takes pieces rich with a past and tells their stories in the present. 

At the end of our journey with Chad Ypon, we’re left with one question; why  call yourselves The Divine Tribe? He lays out his pieces and it becomes as clear as the beautiful gemstones we can’t take our eyes off of.” I would say these are collector’s items, the real ‘divine’ ones”. To be divine, one must be supreme, heavenly. They must have a captivating power that paralyzes the senses and makes you listen. That’s exactly what these rarities do. 

Where the winds blow The Divine Tribe next are Ypon’s own secret, but we know we’ll be anxiously awaiting the souvenirs, stories and keepsakes that he’ll pass down along the way.