La Dailie is known for its timeless, minimal designs, which are both modern and classic and suitable for everyday wear.
La Dailie is an elevated jewellery label co-founded by two Kiwi sisters, Olivia and Celia Lendich, and is based in New Zealand and Los Angeles. The brand is known for its timeless, minimal designs that are both modern and classic for everyday wear. Each collection is sustainably made with a commitment to using only the highest quality recycled precious metals and natural pearls. Each style has been thoughtfully designed with permanence in mind; and the intention to be worn day after day, season after season, year after year.
Their latest collection, CEREMONY, is a curation of thoughtfully designed signature styles for modern brides and bridal parties, intended to be worn on your big day and beyond.
Can you share the story behind La Dailie? How has your journey evolved since the brand’s inception?
La Dailie stemmed from a desire to design and curate the highest quality yet most affordable, modern yet classic jewellery pieces that my sister and I wanted to wear every day and to build a community of like-minded women who want to live with less but better.
La Dailie was inspired by a pair of our Mum’s gold hoop earrings that she had from when she was a teenager, which she still wears to this day, and which my sister and I borrow to wear ourselves. It got me thinking about the timeless pieces that never go out of style and transcend generations, occasions, seasons and trends.
My background is in fashion, and I have worked as a designer in apparel and accessories for over 14 years in New Zealand, Los Angeles and New York after winning a green card in the diversity lottery (ex. Glassons, Reformation, Madewell, Janessa Leoné). As a designer and consumer, I felt increasingly overwhelmed by the constant demand for newness and the speed at which trends come and go. I felt oversaturated at how many brands have ‘hundreds of new arrivals’ on their website each week. I craved a brand that would be the antidote to overconsumption, a brand that focused on simplicity, timelessness, and a curation of pieces that you can invest in and enjoy every day. I set out to create an evergreen collection of modern classic jewellery styles that I wanted to wear every day in the highest quality materials. I hope La Dailie encourages mindful consumption and buying quality over quantity.
What sets La Dailie’s jewellery apart? What do you think makes your pieces truly unique and timeless?
We don’t claim to have invented the hoop earring, or be the first to use pearls in a bridal collection. But what sets our jewellery apart is the modern take on classic styles, the attention to detail, the thoughtful design, our commitment to using only the highest quality precious metals and the mindset that every piece in our collection should be timeless, seasonless, trendless, and effortless.
Every style has been personally wear-tested in our own daily lives; to ensure it’s wearability, durability and versatility. Unlike many other brands, we are committed to using precious metals only to ensure our jewellery is hypoallergenic, long-lasting, anti-tarnish and water resistant for daily wear.
Sustainability is an important aspect of modern jewellery. How do you ensure your materials and practices are eco-friendly?
It’s 2024; it is irresponsible to create anything in this day and age without having sustainability as a brand pillar. However, as I found out during my fashion and design career, there is a lot of greenwashing out there. We want to ensure full transparency on what sustainability means to La Dailie:
To us, sustainability means avoiding overproduction. We intentionally design and curate collections that are evergreen and seasonless to avoid the vicious cycle of overproduction, which typically forces brands to go on sale at the end of a season.
OUR QUALITY:
We are committed to using only the finest precious metals (we use pure 14K and 18K gold for our gold plating, recycled 925 solid sterling silver and natural pearls). Using only the highest quality precious metals ensures our jewellery is hypoallergenic, water resistant, anti-tarnish and long-lasting for daily wear.
There is such a wide range of jewellery on the market at a variety of quality levels, and unless you are buying solid gold (which, let’s be honest, who can afford that!), it’s near impossible to tell by the naked eye how thick the gold plating is (and the price of jewellery doesn’t always dictate value or quality!). We are shocked at the lack of education and the lack of transparency around jewellery quality and we believe our community deserves to be educated on what they’re buying and investing in.
For all of our gold styles, we have chosen to use Fine Gold Vermeil, which is designed to have the look and feel of solid gold for a fraction of the price and is the highest quality of gold-plated jewellery (second only to solid gold). Gold Vermeil (ver-may) is a universal standard of plating that has to meet certain criteria – the plating has to be at least 2.5 microns thick, the base metal must be solid 925 sterling silver, and the gold karat must be at least 10K or higher.
Not to be confused with regular gold plated jewellery, where there is no standard to how thick or thin the plating is (and often mean the gold plating can be as thin as 0.1 microns) over non-precious metal bases such as brass or stainless steel which tarnish within days and can cause those awful reactions in your ears and skin we’ve all experienced with cheap jewellery!
All of our pieces are consciously crafted in small batches (we are talking only 20 units at a time!). We have partnered with an incredible jewellery manufacturer that I have built a longstanding, trustworthy relationship with throughout my career in fashion, that ensures every jewellery style goes through 32 processes and 6 quality inspections to ensure it will stand the test of time.
Sustainability to us on a personal level means mindful consumption, avoiding fleeting trends and investing in the things we will use and enjoy every day.
Your CEREMONY range for brides is stunning. What inspired you to create jewellery specifically for weddings and events, and what makes it perfect for such a special occasion?
I believe most great brands are born out of solving a problem the founder has personally faced, and for me, when I approached my own wedding and began looking for wedding dresses and bridal jewellery, I couldn’t believe how traditional it all felt. Traditional bridal jewellery didn’t resonate with me; it felt too glam and statement. I craved a brand that celebrated simplicity and timelessness while also feeling modern and fresh. I just wanted to feel like myself! I ended up wearing a pair of The Everyday Fine Hoops from our La Dailie Essentials Collection for my wedding day. My three bridesmaids (including Celia) also wore hoops because I knew they would never date or go out of style! I have to give my sister Celia full credit on this idea, though; she was the one who actually said, “Well, what if WE did a bridal range!”. She’s the real brains behind this operation.
For our Ceremony collection, we set out to create an evergreen collection of classic yet modern jewellery styles in the highest quality materials that would be perfect for your big day, whether you want to wear something understated or to stack with more statement pieces, whether you want to gift La Dailie to your special bridesmaids or wear as a wedding guest.
I absolutely love the packaging, so we designed the most beautiful blue La Dailie jewellery boxes that are perfect for gifting and can also be your ‘something blue’.
Why should brides and bridesmaids consider La Dailie for their wedding day? What makes your pieces a beautiful choice for these moments?
La Dailie is for the bride who wants to know the jewellery that she or her bridesmaids wear on her big day will never go out of style. I am the biggest advocate for brides, doing whatever they want to do and choosing whatever they want for their wedding day. If you are the type of bride that wants a glam or statement earring, then La Dailie is probably not for you, but maybe it’s perfect for your more understated bridesmaids. If you are the type of modern bride who appreciates timelessness, simplicity, and understated style, then I hope La Dailie resonates with you, and I hope that we solve your problem of finding modern yet classic jewellery that makes you feel like you! I believe in a brand that is not trying to be something for everybody but instead to be everything for somebody. Our hope is the La Dailie bride will then become the La Dailie essentials gal too.
La Dailie’s designs seem to transcend the occasion. How do you envision brides and bridesmaids wearing your jewellery beyond the wedding day?
The Ceremony collection features a variety of signature styles that can be worn on their own or stacked with other pieces. While our larger pearl styles are perfect for bridal or special occasions, the majority of our collection is designed to be worn not only on the wedding day but also every day thereafter. I envision brides and bridesmaids getting more use from their chosen styles, serving as a special memento to cherish and bring joy long after the big day. Why not invest your money in something that feels just as special with jeans and a tee as it does with a wedding gown?
Do you have any memorable stories of how your jewellery has been worn or celebrated at weddings or other special events?
Before we even launched, our jewellery was worn by a handful of brides and bridesmaids. It means the world to us to be a part of someone’s special day, and we love seeing the different ways people choose to wear and incorporate La Dailie into their big day, from stacking The Everyday Chunky Mini Hoop from our Essentials Collection with a big custom statement earring from another brand to the timeless and minimalist elegance of The Sylvie – Freshwater Pearl Drop Earring, to a whole bridal party in our various hoop styles.
What inspires you when designing new pieces for La Dailie? Are there any particular influences or themes you often explore?
When designing jewellery, I think of it as wardrobe staples— the pieces you can’t live without, like a classic white tee, black blazer or your favourite pair of jeans. Celia and I believe that the term “basic” should be celebrated; it represents reliability, something you reach for time and again because it never goes out of style. Our pieces are made to make you feel good and blend effortlessly into your daily life, from preschool drop-offs to work date nights and everything in between (yes, even showering and sleeping).
When I wear-test a La Dailie piece for months without taking it off, I know I’ve nailed it. We often hear customers say they “haven’t taken off their hoops since buying them,” which is exactly how we envisioned them: jewellery made to live in.
What’s next for La Dailie? Are there any exciting new collections, collaborations, or innovations on the horizon?
La Dailie is proudly self-funded, owned, and operated by two Kiwi sisters. It’s an absolute labour of love, and we pour every ounce of our time, energy, and resources into it. We have many exciting ideas and collaborations we’re eager to bring to life; in the spirit of manifesting and putting them out into the universe, our dream is to collaborate with other New Zealand brands and find stockists that share our brand’s ethos and eventually grow La Dailie into a lifestyle brand offering the little things you can use and enjoy every day.
Our guiding mantra is “done is better than perfect.” We aim to grow this brand slowly and steadily, seeking a community of like-minded women who want to live with less but better. We hope consumers grow tired of the homogenous offerings from large corporate brands and continue to support small businesses—whose day is truly made with every order, review, like, or follow.
While competing with the behemoths is challenging, we believe in the power of good old-fashioned word of mouth. We know that La Dailie is a brand built for longevity, and we will do everything we can to nurture it. Our biggest hope is that, as sisters, we can continue to work together across the Pacific to bring a little joy to your day.
How do you balance creating everyday essentials with more ceremonial, event-focused pieces? Do you find one influences the other?
We believe the line between everyday dressing and occasion dressing is blurred, and we love that many of our pieces, such as The Croissant Hoop, The Fine Hoop, and The Domed Hoop, are interchangeable between our Ceremony Collection and Essentials Collection. We have noticed that other brands focus on one or the other—why can’t it be both?
What advice would you give to someone choosing jewellery for both a significant event and daily wear, like your signature elevated essentials?
My biggest piece of advice would be to wear what makes you feel good! And wear what makes you feel like YOU. All of our pieces in the Ceremony and Essentials collections are designed to be effortless and versatile to pair with a going out look or elevate a simple everyday look. Hopefully La Dailie’s curated collections make it a little easier for you to get dressed in the mornings and to feel put together, even something as simple as putting on a great pair of hoops to elevate your everyday outfit can really make your day.
We believe the biggest luxury in life is slowing down to find joy in the little things. While big joys may come from significant milestones, achievements or life-changing events, small joys are found in the simple, everyday moments that make up the fabric of our lives. We hope you will use and cherish your La Dailie pieces well beyond a wedding day.
Learn more at ladailie.co.nz and @ladailie. Explore La Dailie on the Together Journal Online Directory.
