International stars have worn Finnish designer Jenni Ahtiainen’s creations, but it was her own experience of hearing loss that inspired her most personal creation, Deafmetal®.
Here, Jenni shares how hearing aids helped her rediscover her confidence, why self-expression matters, and how Deafmetal® is helping challenge attitudes to hearing loss around the world.
Discovering my hearing loss
Progressive hearing loss runs in the family. I had ear infections as a child and my hearing loss developed gradually. It was only when the eardrum in my better ear burst that I realised how bad my hearing really was and how I had learned to lip read over the years.
How hearing aids changed everything
Everything changed when I started wearing hearing aids. I am an extrovert, and my hearing loss turned me into a wallflower. I could no longer participate in conversations, and that bothered me.
Getting hearing aids gave me the space I needed for my personality.
Creating something that felt like me
My hair is shaved on both sides, and my style is quite eccentric and Amazonian. Not only were my first hearing aids grey, but their medical design simply didn’t suit my style.
I didn’t feel the need to show off my hearing aids. I just wanted to make my own devices look and feel like me, and in doing so, I merged clinical health technology with what I knew – the fashion industry.
What I made by following my gut instincts turned out to be life-changing, and not only for me.
The birth of Deafmetal®
Just as I didn’t decide to create the gTIE brand, I didn’t decide to create Deafmetal®. I had a need to create something, and people wanted to use it.
Hearing aids became a symbol of strength for me. Other people might have pitied me, saying, “How awful it must be to live with hearing aids.” But for me, they symbolised the strength with which I tackled the prejudices that some people with ‘normal’ hearing have about hearing aids.
Challenging hearing loss stigma
I love my hearing aids, and my hearing aid jewellery has become so important to me that I don’t want to take my devices off so I can wear my jewellery.
I no longer design anything other than hearing aid jewellery and jewellery holders for various hearing aids. I have completely forgotten about bands, artists, musicians, and actors – unless they have hearing aids!
Changing lives through design
Everyone has a desire to leave something of themselves behind. I cry after every message I get in which people tell me how my creation has changed their perspective on hearing devices.
I never would have thought that losing my hearing would end up being one of the best things that’s ever happened to me – it led to the creation of Deafmetal®.
Jenni’s mission to challenge stigma continues this October with SEEN, a new Deafmetal® awareness campaign celebrating hearing aid, BAHA and cochlear implant users around the world. Follow @deafmetalcommunity on Instagram to get involved.
You can purchase Deafmetal® designs at our partner Connevans.
Could your story inspire others?
Jenni’s experience shows how hearing loss can shape our lives in unexpected ways. If you’d like to share your own story of hearing loss, tinnitus or deafness, we’d love to hear from you.