Allison Asis, the artisan behind Cadette Jewelry, skillfully crafts pieces that transcend time, capturing the essence of feminine silhouettes, sculptural elegance, and the organic allure of nature. Each creation serves as a conduit, seamlessly connecting wearers to the inherent beauty of their surroundings.

In this feature article, we sit down with Allison Asis to explore the inspiration behind her exquisite jewelry creations and how she got her start in entrepreneurship.

 

Allison Asis, the founder and designer behind Cadette Jewelry pictured in Kyoto, Japan. 

"I’ve always had a truly creative spirit, ever since I was a child. I loved to draw, paint, create things and use my hands."

Gabryel: Would you mind briefly describing yourself and what it was like growing up?

Allison: I was born and raised in Mississauga, Ontario. As a teen, I longed to be in the bustling city, so as soon as I graduated from university, I moved downtown and lived there for several years. I currently live in Etobicoke and am enjoying being in the ‘middle ground’ between downtown Toronto and suburbia. 

During university, where I majored in media & communications, as well as art history, I recognized a desire to have a creative outlet. It was during those uni years that I kicked off a personal style blog, and ran it for several years, acquiring a great following. 

Soon after, I realized I had another calling — I wanted to create tangible items to put out into the world. Eventually, in 2013, I began making basic jewelry and quickly fell in love with it. Over the next few years, I took several metalsmithing classes on evenings and weekends, and gradually, Cadette Jewelry came to fruition.

 

 

Gabryel: What sparked your passion for jewelry and motivated you to pursue a career in jewelry making?

Allison: I view jewelry as wearable forms of art that bring empowerment, joy, and self-expression to the wearer. The most gratifying aspect of this journey is seeing the meaningful ways that individuals choose to wear Cadette pieces. This incredible community has shown me how these pieces are so much more than 'jewelry' – they're forms of identity, expression, milestone markers, and heirlooms to cherish for life.

In 2018, I followed my heart and intuition and took the leap to leave my 9-5 gig to focus on Cadette Jewelry full-time and haven't looked back since.

 

 

 

Gabryel: I really love how your jewelry pieces have a sense of softness and natural elements. Where do you draw inspiration from while creating?

Allison: Every design within the Cadette line has a sincere story or meaning behind it – drawing inspiration from the journey of womanhood, to the organic beauty of nature, to artwork that I connect with. Particularly during the pandemic, nature has been my saving grace and guide. Nearly all of the pieces I've introduced within the past year are a reflection of forms, shapes, colours or sentiments that are tied to nature.

 

 

 

Gabryel: What are some of your favourite artists and why? 

Allison: Some of my favourite artists are: Georgia O'Keeffe, Ruth Asawa, Jean Arp and Isamu Noguchi. All of these artists embrace natural, organic forms, and have a deep and honest respect for the materials and mediums they're working with for any given piece or installation.

 

Pictured from left to right: artists Ruth Asawa and Isamu Noguchi

 

Gabryel: Being an entrepreneur can be very time consuming and stressful at times. What self-care practices do you incorporate into your routine to stay balanced? 

Allison: Being in nature. Whether it's a run or walk in my neighbourhood's parks and forests, whenever I reconnect with nature I feel at home.

Running has become my form of therapy. Any time I'm feeling on edge or off-balance, moving my body during a run puts my mind at ease and gives me clarity. Also, cooking and enjoying dinner with my partner brings me so much happiness and ends each day on the right note.

 

Explore the complete collection from Cadette Jewelry online, or follow along on Instagram for exclusive sneak peeks at Allison's captivating creative process.

Conversation with Gabryel Lake