The Three Women Behind ADA Collection. | 24 Years Later, I Still Haven’t Gotten a “Real Job"

The women, the little details, and the unexpected moment that inspired ADA Collection.

This October marks 24 years since I decided to “not get a real job” and start my own business instead.

Of course, anyone who runs a business knows the joke is on us. You get a job in design. And sales. And shipping. And customer service. Sometimes all before lunch.

But here we are. And as I look back, I keep thinking about the three women whose influence was there long before ADA Collection had a name: my grandmother, my mom, and my godmother.

                                 Twenty-four years, countless lessons, and still creating. Ada with her mom in Buenos Aires. She placed her first order with artisans during this trip.

Ada and her mom with her first order getting into a taxi in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

My grandmother: “The way they see you is the way they’ll read you.”

My grandmother used to say this to me, and she lived it.

Even for a doctor’s appointment, she would do her nails, choose her jewelry, and carefully put her outfit together. She would bring chocolates, too.

When I was younger, my mom would drop us off at the curb, and I would accompany her inside. Later, I was the one driving her.

Those ordinary outings stayed with me. Even when she wasn’t feeling well, she took care with how she presented herself—and brought a little kindness along with her.

Looking back, I think that was one of my earliest lessons in the connection between getting dressed and how we carry ourselves. A little care could change the way she entered a room.

              My grandmother, whose words have stayed with me all these years.

My mom: elegance in a busy, working life

My mom was an engineer and physicist, and a working mother of three.

She had plenty on her plate. Yet she dressed elegantly for work, and her colleagues noticed.

I grew up seeing a woman who could be accomplished, practical, busy, and stylish all at once. That example stayed with me.

Today, when I think about the women who wear ADA, I think about full lives. Work, family, appointments, dinner plans. I want to create something that makes getting dressed a little easier and helps a woman feel pulled together as she moves through her day.

My mom: an engineer, physicist, mother of three, and an early example of everyday elegance.  Ada and her mom, after she retired.

My godmother, Maman: the finishing touches

My godmother, whom I called Maman, had a way of bringing an outfit together.

Her handbag, shoes, belt, and jewelry coordinated. Every detail felt considered.

I paid attention. And eventually, I borrowed her formula.

In high school, I would put together outfits with garage-sale finds and use accessories to make them my own. I became known as the “accessory queen.”

Apparently, there were clues about my future career.

I was already discovering how much a belt, a bag, or a piece of jewelry could do for clothes I already had. That idea is still at the heart of ADA.

Photo: Maman showing her personal style. 

“Maman taught me to pay attention to the finishing touches.”

How a handbag strap became the beginning of our belts

When I discovered the leather in Argentina, I was drawn to how incredibly soft it was—and the beautiful colors. I began with handbags.

Along the way, Noah at Shoe Fly helped me learn the boutique business and believed in the leather I was bringing to stores.

Then came a moment in a Laguna Beach shop that changed the direction of my business.

The owner took a handbag strap, wrapped it around a mannequin, and said:

“This is what I need. Belts.”

She placed my first belt order.

That moment opened a door. Stylists saw how a belt could help bring an outfit together—and help their customers see the possibilities in the clothing, too.

All those lessons from my grandmother, my mom, and Maman suddenly had somewhere to go.

  [From handbags to belts—and a whole new direction. Creating my first style course teaching women how to wear and style with belts]

And here we are

The business has grown and changed. So have I.

But I still love that moment when a woman adds a belt, looks in the mirror, and sees her outfit differently. Sometimes she stands a little taller. Sometimes she smiles. Sometimes she says, “Oh! That’s what it needed.”

That moment never gets old.

This anniversary, I’m grateful for the women who inspired me, the people who believed in me early on, and every customer and boutique that has made ADA part of their story.

If you’ve worn our belts, gifted one, shared us with a friend, or supported us along the way: thank you. You’ve helped turn a decision to start my own business into a life’s work.

Twenty-four years later, I’m still happy I took the chance.

With love,

Ada

Who first inspired your sense of style? Your mom, your grandmother, a friend? I’d love to hear about her in the comments.