With 135 years of ancestral wisdom as their devout guide, co-CEOs of prestigious high jewellery brand Adler Joailliers, Daisy and Allen Adler, hold that, “true luxury is a human connection.” Inspired by the Adler ethos entrusted to each generation, “With Heart, With Style,” the Adler’s amiability has ensured their success as one of few remaining family-run jewellery businesses. Striking charisma and sophisticated serenity: such is the Adler’s allure.
Words by Scarlett Walker.
Photographed by Edwin S Freyer. Styled by Alton Hetariki. Video by Mandy Liddell.
Makeup by Barrie Griffith using Sisley Paris. Hair by Yoshi Miyazaki using GHD Professional.
Manicure by Julia Hopkins using CHANEL Le Vernis in 101 – Insomniaque
and CHANEL La Crème Main. Production Assistants, Sandy Aziz.
Liv Parsons appear courtesy of IMG Models.
As heir to the Adler dynasty, childhood was a formative time for Allen. “Mealtimes were never normal in my household. Clients were often invited to dine, and I could not help but eavesdrop on their enticing conversations.” Through a childhood infused with his parents’ craft, Allen developed a burgeoning curiosity for an assortment of cultures and worldviews. “I witnessed first-hand the magic of personal client relations. Not simply for the company’s success, but for my parent’s happiness also.” For Allen, as for his parents, both “capital and generational talent,” are necessary factors for a family business to survive. “It is because of my ancestor’s entrepreneurial drive and warm-heartedness that Adler exists as it does today.”
Naturally, working with family can be challenging at times. Having joined the family, Daisy recognizes that, “There is an enormously rich legacy to live up to – but I would not have my life any other way. I owe who I am to Adler’s inspiring heritage.” Of course, where their personal relationship is concerned, they agree that, “Clear boundaries are an absolute must. Every family should formulate their own unique framework balancing love and business.” Through their commitment to clear-cut communication, the pair have zealously strengthened both their relationship and the Adler enterprise alike – a dual victory.
When talking about “love and business,” Allen reminisces on his late mother’s creative genius. “She strove to integrate different cultures, both in aesthetics and in how she welcomed people into her life.” He recalls how the family business blossomed in Istanbul in 1886 by gracefully merging Art Nouveau and Art Deco aesthetics, which were favoured by multicultural clientele into a stylistic choice that inspired his mother. “Istanbul is an eternally abundant source of creativity for us, just as it was for my mother who fell in love with Ottoman motifs.” With roots in the Middle East and south-eastern Europe, the legacy of the Ottoman Empire developed into artistic profusions of floral, geometric, and colourful patterns which spoke to his mother’s passion for cultural diversity.
Eclecticism is always at the edges of Adler’s horizon as each of their central collections evades clear categorization. Described by Allen as “light, easy-to-wear, and casual,” the Essentials segment is characterized by classic shapes and tones, cut cleanly from pearls, diamonds, and sapphires. Contrastingly, their High Jewellery celebrates Greek architecture and landscapes through unusual contours and brighter colours. Several of the High stars also feature in the limited-edition Exclusives range, which bursts forth with worldly flavours. Somehow their bespoke pieces captivate the style of all three segments: every individual piece is imbued with an exquisite Adler aura that is at once uniquely indefinable and yet identifiable.
The secret behind the Adler craft lies in their creative process, outlined by Daisy as, “Organic and serendipitous, allowing room for surprise technically and aesthetically.” Above all, the couple favour their most innovative, “transformative” projects. Depending on ingenious mechanics, their “Longshen necklace styles a Burmese marquise cut ruby as its main character, a jewel which changes colour when pivoted.” while their Fan’tastic line “is crafted with ingenious articulated hinges that allow symmetrical patterns to flutter in and out like a laced fan.” The latter collection was a collaboration with students from the HEAD Design School of Geneva, an intricacy which is carefully emphasized by Allen: “Diversity, richness, depth, complexity, freshness – these qualities exist because of collaboration.” Always on the hunt for collaborative partners, previous collections have featured multicultural input from artists, members of the Adler team, and young apprentices at design schools. In Daisy’s wise words, “An in-house designer is not a solo prima-donna.” With a rich cultural heritage poured into each of their pieces, Adler’s designs slip through many fingers before they adopt a solid shape.
As for the practical side of their design process, Adler rejuvenates their jewellery by using innovative materials like carbon while simultaneously minimizing the brand’s environmental impact. Pledged to the sustainable transformation of the luxury jewellery market, the pair admit that, “discourses of sustainability have come late to the industry,” whilst remaining focused on Adler’s positive action: “We are proud that all our diamonds as GIA certified, and with the growing recognition of the Responsible Jewellery Council certification and the CIBJO ethical standards, we envision a positive future for the luxury jewellery trade.”
Several other evolutions are also underway in the industry including, “The expanding presence of large corporations, technological developments such as 3D printing and AI marketing tools, and shifting sustainability regulations.” Yet, Daisy affirms that their “motto remains the same. We adapt and we innovate, nimbly, of course, just like our ancestors.” Revealing additional plans to launch an e-commerce website and advanced marketing campaigns centred on their remodeling capabilities, the couple promise that we can eagerly expect “several new high end and accessible pieces” to enter the limelight in 2023 – though we don’t get any more insight than that.
All the Adler’s wise words cocoon into an enlightening epiphany. Admiring culture and its collaborative artistry, the Adler aesthetic may never stand still, forever fastening to the ebb and flow of its patrons’ hearts.
You can find this piece in the Jewellery Special inside the Spring Summer 2023 Issue 10
Purchase your copy here.
