WHY DID YOU START ASPHODEL ATELIER?

So, my name is Adrian Wildhaber, I’m currently 22, and am the owner + director of Asphodel Atelier. I grew up, + reside in Western Sydney, am half Filipino + half Swiss, and spend way too fucking much on jewellery. I came up with the name ‘Asphodel Atelier’ because I love the grecian/roman aesthetic. Growing up I was obsessed with mythology, which is where my inspiration comes from. In Greek mythology, there are essentially three realms of the afterlife, Elysian, Asphodel, and Punishment. I liked how Asphodel represented a middle ground, neutrality, a place for those who weren’t heroes, nor were evil. 

Originally, I wanted to name the brand just Asphodel, or Fields of Asphodel - but decided that I needed to make it a little more jewellery related for branding. I settled on the word Atelier, because I felt it conveyed jewellery, or a ‘workshop’, and it flowed with Asphodel. Hence, ‘Asphodel Atelier.’

ABOUT ME

My favourite genre of music is dark pop/alternative. Artists include RAIGN, deathbyromy, BELLSAINT, Fleurie, SVRCINA, Phoebe Ryan, XYLO/Sunday1994, Maggie Lindemann, MXMS, Cailin Russo, Zolita … 

I have a hybrid Australian-American accent. I sound Australian till there’s a word with an ‘r’ involved. 

I worked in jewellery for just over two years before deciding to start my own business. Ironically, it was wedding jewellery, mostly pearls, as well as birthstones.