STORY
Founded in 2023 by Sina George Akers, a Nashville-based independent entrepreneur, MIDDLE FINGER™ is a jewelry brand designed in Nashville, Tennessee.
In 2018, Sina moved to Nashville to finish her degree at Belmont University after playing college soccer in Oregon — leaving the West behind and venturing South. While juggling multiple jobs, internships, friendships, and school, she eventually earned enough to live independently in a small downtown studio apartment — a milestone that allowed her to truly discover herself and step fully into her independence.
During the pandemic, she took a gap year to dive deeper into her internships and work opportunities while saving money to finish her degree. “Taking a gap year was the best thing I could’ve done for myself. It was a leap of faith away from the norm — a step toward learning how to truly bet on myself. Not everyone understood it. The pandemic already felt like daunting uncertainty, and I chose even more. But I didn’t see it that way. I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to simply do what I wanted,” she reflected.
During her solitary moments, she uncovered a remarkable passion for tinkering and crafting with her hands. “I must have been Bob the Builder in a past life,” she would joke, as she transformed furniture and decor pieces into treasured finds, completely revamping her space in the process. She painted walls, disassembled objects, and reimagined them into cherished creations.
As her passion deepened, she became captivated by the intricacies of design. While perhaps not the safest pursuit in her small apartment, she began melting down inexpensive jewelry, metals, and plastics, welding and polishing them into intricate, one-of-a-kind pieces. This process of restoration and reinvention allowed her to bring her visions to life in tangible forms.
Ultimately, her focus honed in on the smallest creations: jewelry, especially rings, which became powerful expressions of her newfound creativity.
Fast forward to 2022, she landed her dream job as a manager in high-profile hospitality, where she was client-facing 24/7. She wanted to work hard and hustle all while keeping it haute. Fresh often meant breaking the bank, and her budget struggled to keep up. She found herself becoming an outfit repeater- gasp!
Accessories had always made her feel polished — like the final touch that pulled everything together. But too often, she found herself slipping rings off mid-day, her skin irritated from cheap metals, pieces already dulled or discolored. It felt small, almost trivial. And yet, it wasn’t. This was only adding to an already existing problem.
She was already navigating the quiet pressure of becoming — stepping into new rooms, new expectations, new versions of herself. To feel physically uncomfortable in her own skin while trying to show up confidently only amplified what she was already carrying. Jewelry was supposed to make her feel stronger, more expressive. Instead, it was another compromise.
She couldn’t ignore the irony: something meant to elevate her was undermining her. And she began to question why durability, skin safety, and striking design felt mutually exclusive — or reserved only for price points that felt out of reach.
That tension stayed with her. And eventually, it became the beginning.
From this, she truly believed she could create pieces that showcased craftsmanship, lasting appeal, and a striking presence—and actually be that way.
Influenced by Mesoamerican culture and her Hispanic lineage, the brand aligns its attention to history while inspiring a juxtaposition of modern maximalism, sharp metals, and clean edges. A nod to architectural wonders of tomorrow, with a focus on never forgetting where you come from.
She believed she could create economical, skin-safe pieces that showcased craftsmanship, lasting appeal, and a striking presence—and actually be that way. Jewelry that’s hypoallergenic, non-tarnishing, and made to be worn by everyone. An option that could truly be made for all of us.
MIDDLE FINGER™ is a brand dedicated to redefining the accessories journey, focusing on designs that resonate with an androgynous aesthetic—balancing masculinity and effeminacy, organic and imagined, magnificent and concrete.