It Started Long Before ADEL Existed
It all starts somewhere, somewhere deep in our childhood maybe… that love of trying things on, experimenting with styles, colours, shapes. A gift from a loved one, a treasured grandparent. It’s a beginning.
For me, I still have some jewellery my Great Aunt gave me at age 9, the ring my Nana gave me at age 11 which I bent furiously to try and fit my small fingers, and the engagement ring passed down from my other Nana at age 15, which I still wear almost daily. And if you’re reading this, I’d almost assume you have at least one piece
Nearly 20 years ago, I decided to open an online store, the world was different then – no Shopify, no Stripe, Paypal was the way unless you had a bank merchant ID, Google ads was only for the tech savvy, and Facebook pages wasn’t really a thing. I didn’t even know what I was doing, but found a wholesaler and bought some pieces, designed a logo and pottered around with the idea, until I sold it as a package deal on Trademe two years later.
In 2021, I started Maybe James, after the transition into motherhood left me circling again “who am I?” and ultimately I was drawn back to jewellery. The house, filled with glitter very quickly, but it still didn’t ultimately feel authentic to me. I felt like I was making for people that I didn’t know myself and by that I mean, people that were extroverts, bright bold and unflawed, I felt like I was guessing and trying to chase them instead of being semi true to myself. The pieces I made, and still make, are absolute life savers on days you want a pink sparkle, don’t get me wrong, but for everyday work wear, gym wear, gotta get me a triple shot before I fall asleep at me desk days, I felt something calmer, stronger was where I was headed.
What I enjoyed most about MJ was meeting such bold amazing individuals, what I enjoyed least was the content creation, I refused to film my processes and still do. Sorry not sorry.
The idea for ADEL had been sitting in the background for some time, as a social media consumer I’ve seen a lot of jewellery ads in my time. A lot of young women in their 20’s showcasing nice pieces but still, it didn’t feel right. I was looking around at my mum friends and realised the pieces we wore 20 years ago, even if we keep them somewhere, we aren’t wearing them now, our tastes change, refine, evolve. We are more selective and as I’ve aged, I still have my favourites but I’m more selective about how I’m experimenting with them.
Creatively, MJ is a very physical creation process – mix, pour, add layers, wait, sand, refine, add findings, glues, more waiting, photography, measuring, describing and listing. It’s weather dependant, so in the cold months virtually impossible to create anything with resin. It turned from something satisfying into something that took the shine off the shiny things.
I began to ponder what a small refined collection would look like, for everyday wear, not just on days the bright colours would fit the wardrobe. And purely by chance I stumbled upon Mirelle, and wondered if perhaps this was the direction I was meant to head.
What I Noticed Women Actually Wear
This sounds a bit odd, but I’m a people watcher. I like to observe rather than interact, and spending time in the mum groups or watching them, I started watching how they were accessorising. It wasn’t bold pieces, and it was pieces that they wore again and again. After school, at activities, sometimes there were no pieces.
One of my first customers, and I’m sure she’ll be ok with me quoting her, mentioned how the Mirelle’s she purchased were quickly becoming everyday favourites. And that filled my heart and made me nod my head, because that’s the point of ADEL right there.
Another early ADEL wearer, she told me with surprise that her earrings weren’t going black like a lot of hers did and I said, of course they aren’t. But she was shopping at large one name chain stores that mass produce items and the expectation is, well this won’t last. She said, ‘oh my gosh I haven’t even taken these out, it’s brilliant.’
Building ADEL
Why launch with a small capsule? When creating an intentional selection of items that could be worn together, I spend months choosing the items. Months. Each piece was tested and if it passed the test, it went to the next stage. Several items didn’t make the grade, because they didn’t suit, the quality wasn’t right, it didn’t fit ADEL, it was better for Capsule 2.
There are chain stores out there that mass produce items, and that works well for them, but the products don’t have the feeling attached to them that you get when purchasing a limited quantity piece. For ADEL purchasing, the items are chosen based on their suitability for the brand, and the end consumer because that’s actually what matters the most.
Designed To Be Worn, Not Stored
People often ask where the phrase came from.
The truth is, it wasn't created by a marketing agency or brainstormed around a boardroom table. It simply summed up everything I'd been thinking while building ADEL.
Most of us own jewellery we rarely wear.
Pieces we bought because they were fashionable at the time. Pieces that looked beautiful online but somehow never made it into our everyday routine. Pieces that sit quietly in a jewellery box waiting for the "right occasion."
I didn't want to create jewellery for special occasions.
I wanted to create jewellery for ordinary Tuesdays. For school drop-offs…Coffee runs… Work meetings… Dinner with friends.
The days where you're tired, busy, wearing your favourite knit and still want to feel a little more like yourself.
Every piece in ADEL has to answer one simple question before it joins the collection:
Would I genuinely reach for this again tomorrow?
If the answer is no, it doesn't belong.
Because I don't believe beautiful jewellery should spend its life in a jewellery box.
It should become part of your everyday life.
That's what "Designed to be worn, not stored" means to me.
What Comes Next
ADEL is still in its early days.
There will be new collections, new ideas, mistakes I'll learn from, and plenty of moments where I'll wonder if I'm doing the right thing.
But one thing won't change…I'll continue choosing pieces slowly, intentionally, and with the hope that years from now, one of them becomes part of someone else's story too.
Just like that little ring from my Nana became part of mine.
Thank you for being here at the beginning.
— Tania
