Fan Club: Adel Chefridi
Anne Sportun raves about Adel Chefridi’s fresh take on old-world styles.
BY BETH BERNSTEIN
Published in the January0-February 2013 issue
Adel Chefridi launched his jewelry collection in 1998 in New York. Born in Tunisia, he increasingly draws inspiration from his multicultural background, resulting in an attempt in his work to reconcile past and present, nostalgia and hope. His designs are crafted with natural gemstones and recycled metals, and they emphasize simplicity, wearability and durability. Regarding his collection, he explains, “The colors of natural gemstones are the best complement to the natural beauty of people. My work attempts to present the innate beauty of both the gemstones and the wearer.”
ANNE SPORTUN ON ADEL CHEFRIDI
“I MET ADEL CHEFRIDI at a trade show and noticed almost immediately that his work is not only well designed but well finished, with just the right amount of details and nuances and that made it truly stand out for me.”
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“There exists an element of old-world uniqueness to his work that is presented in a fresh, easy-to-understand and easy-to-wear way, which is a winning combination!”
“I respect Adel’s goldsmith training background; it shows in the quality of his workmanship.”
“Many of the designs in the various groupings are well merchandised so that they can cross over. They can be worn layered, or a woman can wear a ring from one line and a pendant from another, and it all coordinates beautifully.”
“Retailers can shop his designs at the price point best suited for their store. He offers sterling silver, high karat gold, and a combination of the two. All are finished with the same attention to detail.”
“Having spent time talking with Adel, I am further impressed with what a warm, kind and generous person he is.”
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ANNE SPORTUN: In 1987, Anne Sportun launched Experimetal Jewellery Works, which grew into a retail store in Toronto in 1992 with the help of business partner Barbara Kelly. A second store opened 12 years later, and today, the Anne Sportun Collection has a staff of 25. Sportun describes jewelry as “not bound by words, geography, or ethnicity, but nurtured by a universal language of shapes, symbols and form.” In 2003, she had the honor of having the image of her hands on a Canadian 65-cent postage stamp.
