About Alan Anderson
The Designer
Alan handcrafts each piece, prong-setting vintage crystals and stones to create one-of-a-kind pieces, all signed with his signature cartouche. He does not research trends; instead stays true to his personal style with an ever-changing collection of statement jewellery. He refers to his pieces as ‘vintage infused’ as Alan travels the world in search of rare, vintage unmounted crystals and stones, in their original packaging, which helps to date the crystals’ original production. That is what makes his designs so special — the stones and crystals will never be made again, and once used cannot be duplicated. Each piece is triple plated, under his direction, in Toronto, in various precious metal finishes including 14kt gold, rhodium, and antiqued Japanned.
Alan has recently begun offering his services as a guest speaker for corporate and special events. For more information, visit Designer in the House.
About Alan Anderson Design
The Company
Established in 1997, in a corner of his apartment kitchen, Alan’s oeuvre has grown and flourished to become Canada’s definitive couture fashion jewellery house, recognized internationally as a unique atelier, offering one-of-kind, eminently collectible designs, featuring rare and vintage Austrian crystal elements in glamorous creations.
Set back from the street, Edward Blake House, built in 1891, is one of Toronto’s last Gilded Age mansions. The Alan Anderson Atelier occupies the second floor, with views of the Betty Oliphant Theater and National Ballet School of Canada. In the 1980s the Atelier was home to cartoonist Ben Wicks studio. The Atelier hosts regular fashion events and boutique shows, and is the creative centre for Alan, and his couture jewellery designs.
His pieces have adorned celebrities and magazine covers around the world. Dame Elizabeth Taylor owned an amethyst cuff which became part of Christie’s auction of her collection.
His work, inspired by the glamorous sirens of Hollywood’s golden era, Newport’s gilded age and turn-of-the-century European Royalty, is an art form — timeless, collectable and destined to be handed down through generations. Alan hopes that his creations will be loved and “worn daily in random acts of glamour.”
About Sources
When a major world-renowned manufacturer of Austrian crystal ended their wholesale supply chain to focus on their own design work, the availability of authentic historical Austrian crystal is now limited to existing inventory in independent warehouses around the world. Alan Anderson has made a priority of seeking out these dwindling sources to support the creation of his unique, one-of-a-kind designs.
Jewellery made with these increasingly rare crystals, beads and stones will continue to appreciate in value as this non-renewable resource is incorporated into new work.