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Adelė Dagytė / Photo by V. Čygas

LRT.lt

Adelė Dagytė, jeweler and co-founder of Adele Notes, discovered her delicate, precise and often minimalist style during her studies and has been refining and strengthening it for more than ten years. Today, she feels a deep satisfaction in following her own path and allows herself to pause and listen more intently to her intuition whenever doubt arises.

- How would you describe the aesthetics of the jewelry you create? How did it develop?

- The search for my style and signature began during my studies. I was always trying out one or another technique, style, materials. My professors noticed my unique style early on and often encouraged me to try something new and different, as if they were trying to break my approach. But every time, even when I took completely different materials, my style was still visible. I remember, in my final year, my professors advised me to stick with it, to strengthen and refine my style.

I enjoy creating delicate, refined jewelry, playing with variations. My thesis topic, "A Lot and a Little,” encapsulates the principle and aesthetic of my work. I love the precision and detail. From one element, I can create an entire series, a collection, where each piece feels like part of a larger whole.

After my studies, I went to France, and when I returned, influenced by French aesthetics, I created a collection. It was much more extravagant than my usual work, reflecting how France had impacted me. It became clear to me then how deeply our environment and context influence us.

As I continued to live in Lithuania, I noticed how my work became more subtle, lighter. But this doesn’t mean they lack impact - everything depends on the mood and how the jewelry pieces are combined.

- I understand it’s important to you how the jewelry feels on the body, whether it is comfortable and pleasant to wear. How do you achieve this?

- I always try to make a piece of jewelry that I would love to wear myself. I try them on for a long time, I wear them and I think about whether they are missing something, whether I need to add something or take something away. I'm not in a hurry to put them in the showcase, I want to perfect the result as much as possible, so that there's no rush in my work. The testing process can take six months or a whole year.

Quite recently, I was carrying four stones with me, regularly taking them out to find the best way they could harmonize together. Finally, I realized that I needed to take one color out because it just didn't fit, and suddenly, everything seemed to fall into. This process requires time, stepping back, and eyes and senses that aren’t tired.

Now that I have my own store, I have more opportunities for slow, calm interactions with clients. Talking with them sparks interesting, good ideas for jewelry. When helping them choose, I always observe their body language – it clearly shows which piece suits them, feels natural, and something they wouldn’t want to take off. My work is often compared to perfumery, to scents – as if my jewelry is like fragrance, adding a finishing touch to an image.

- How are you, as an artist and creator, adjusting to the business side of things, to thinking about how to sell your creations successfully? You’ve currently delegated this to your team, right?

- Yes, I personally love creating and bringing my ideas to life, but when I was managing all the tasks, marketing, and sales myself, I noticed that I wasn’t able to fully focus on my creativity. Also, I wanted to grow, to step out of my studio. I wanted to try new things, to gain experience working with others, and ultimately to have someone to consult with.
As it turns out, sometimes just speaking your dreams out loud is enough – now I have a team where it’s a pleasure to work. We encourage and support each other, and I am free to create.

- How much do you follow the journeys of other women in the creative field and business? Do you draw inspiration from their experiences?

- I'm very motivated, I'm very driven by in-person meetings. Recently, I had the opportunity to meet women in business who are creating very interesting things and I was fascinated by their stories. Observing from the outside, it’s easy to get the wrong impression that everything comes easier to others, but listening to real, live stories and hearing about setbacks and how they help us grow is very valuable – it strengthens and inspires me not to give up.

- Listening to you, it seems that intuition plays a big role in your decision-making.

- I’ve always believed that you should do what you want, what you believe in, and enjoy it, but if you feel that something isn’t quite right, it’s important to pause immediately. Only then, after giving it a bit of time, does an idea emerge without any “maybes.” You need to wait for that moment when you can hear your intuition again.
For example, if something isn’t working out with a piece, I always take a break, and instead of trying to redo or push it, I usually just start over.

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