What do you get when you mix generations of high end luxury fabrics with modern handcrafted jewelry making?
This very unique combination of goldsmith craft and luxurious colorful textile makes Daj Darya’s collections so special and each piece feels like a work of art.
Daj Darya’s Creative Director Liat Topel comes from a dynasty of interior design & luxury textile importers. She was born into a world full of colorful fabrics, exciting textures and the architectural shapes which shaped her vision since day 1.
Liat collects pieces of high end luxury textiles and trimmings from major fashion houses and gives them a new life by mixing them with gold and silver handmade jewelry she creates with her own hands.
Tell us the story behind “DAJ DARYA”
Coming from a family of jewelers and textile traders, my home was a working studio flooded with beautiful fabrics and other materials. I quickly found an outlet for my artistic expression and began to create unique, one-off pieces combining luxury fabrics with various types of metal. People were expressing interest in my designs and I started to create jewelry for friends. In the meantime, I went on to qualify as a goldsmith and then DAJ darya was born.
DAJ Darya is about Design, Art & Jewelry. These are the pillars of the brand and the meaning of the name DAJ.
Tell us about your background in interior design and how it got you to do what you do today.
My family has been running a Home Decor & textile business for over 40 years. I breathe textiles since I can remember. As a child, I found an immense joy in playing with textiles from around the world which were stacked from floor to ceiling in my grandparent’s house. After graduating from Visual Communications, I joined the company and have been working there for over a decade.
Working in the family business for so many years helped me discover shape, color, texture, combination and made my imagination work overtime. I can clearly see the results of that experience in all of my pieces today.
Today I visit the family business to derive inspiration and enjoy this colorful world.
What makes your creations so unique in your opinion?
I never aspired to end up with a jewelry brand and wanted to see my creations blend within the world of interior design. However, as time passed, it was clear that I ended up designing a completely new line and direction. Textiles have depth and movement. Most of the time we don’t know how the creation will end up looking, because of the mobility of the textile. Each time it surprises me. We create jewelry from luxury textile and high quality gold plating on metal, carrying both a strong presence and feminine appeal. Each piece exudes a classic yet mischievous spirit, all while undeniably elegant. The designs are timeless and you can always play with trendy colors.
Every jewel you make is a piece of art, tell us the process behind designing and creating these incredible handmade jewelry.
I always let my imagination flow when working on a new collection: the materials lead me into creating a piece as I often find myself drifting away from the original idea, which is both exciting and inspiring.
My work philosophy is to create from your heart and your hands will do the work for you, and do not forget a bit of color!
How do you combine family life and being an artist and a business woman?
The quarantine has allowed me to focus on things which matter most in my life. I am able to spend more time with my son, and also focus on working on my creations and on new ways to develop the brand. I love my work and what I do and also every minute with my son counts and keeps me well motivated.
Who would you like to see wearing your creations?
Cate Blanchett. She has a strong presence and a feminine appeal. She is classic, elegant and sophisticated.
Tell us about your personal style, how do you define it? Where do you love shopping? Your favorite designers?
My style is vivid. Classic yet mischievous. Like my jewelry I love to add a bit of color in my shoes/ bag etc..
Love to shop multi-brand ecommerce.
Favorite designers are: Etro. Missoni, Chloe , Acne, Iro and waiting patiently to see Alber Elbaz’s new project- AZ factory.
How did you adjust to the pandemic as a brand? The fashion world has changed this year, did you notice the change and what steps did you take to keep the creation going?
Our brand is available for shopping online so it was easy for us to adjust. Sales increased radically during the lockdowns as if people never stopped their shopping habits, although there were much less opportunities to be seen in public. This fact just proved to us that Fashion and Lifestyle is an integral part of our client’s DNA and it made us very happy. However, it was important for us to develop more affordable lines, as there are other segments that we wanted to reach, so we launched three affordable collections – a wholesale only line available at DAJdarya.com, a JOON silk color bracelets and FoxiRoxi, featuring leather and stainless-steel bangles starting at $49$ (retail). Today every woman can find her own DAJ.
We also added a shop on Instagram to allow our customers an easy buying experience.
What other things inspire to create?
Growing up and living in a big city, Urban architecture and rhythm are a big part of my life and my eyes derive inspiration from every color or shape.
Also, when looking and playing with raw materials, creations just pop out from my hands. I guess my secret is my imagination.
I work a lot with fabrics, so it was very important for me to be surrounded by it. The color palette is happy, refreshing, and elegant. Every piece in the house I created myself. It was important for me to be in a space that will reflect my talent and, well, also have a sense of a French boutique hotel. I definitely enjoy drawing the most, as nothing makes me more excited than creating from scratch. I made sure to instil a part of me into every piece in the house, which is exactly the approach I take in designing jewelery.
Liat’s jewelry tells a story: if you love vibrant, elegant and artsy “one-of-a-kind” piece that will be a show stopper at any event, then DAJ DARYA is the one designer to look out for.
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