Ashley Rozumek & Caleigh Adler ’14
We’d like to begin by saying congrats to this week’s Campus Celebrities for recently releasing their new beautiful Fall line of jewelry from A La Plage! Ashley Rozumek and Caleigh Adler are true entrepreneurs here at UNH, managing and running their own accessory company on top of being full-time students. They’ve been working hard all summer to bring us a new line of pretty baubles, perfect for spicing up a boring weekday outfit, or as an addition to that LBD on a night out in Durham! We got the chance to interview Ashley and Caleigh about their experience starting and running their own company, and here’s what we found out:
Name: Ashley Rozumek
Year: Junior
Hometown: Hampton, New Hampshire
Studying: Tourism Planning and Development
Name: Caleigh Adler
Year: Junior
Hometown: Brentwood, New Hampshire
Studying: Business Management
How did you come up with the idea for A La Plage?
A: I became inspired with the idea through one of my friends who recently opened up her own boutique out in Hawaii. I was originally going to work for her, but as time progressed I began coming up with ideas of my own, which eventually led to the foundation of A La Plage.
How long have you been designing jewelry?
C: We have always had our eye on the latest trends and have had a passion for jewelry. Instead of designing our own jewelry, we put together collections that we see fit for our target audience and the upcoming season. We hand select all of our pieces so that we are sure there is something for everyone.
Do you intend to continue this into your profession in the future?
A&C: Yes, we can’t wait for A La Plage to take off and become something big. We would love to eventually open up a boutique later on down the road, while incorporating the things that we have learned through each of our majors here at UNH.
What is the best part of what you do?
C: My favorite part is interacting with our customers and getting to know their personal style and trying to enhance it with one of our pieces. Seeing a customer satisfied with our jewelry, makes all the hard work worth it in the end.
A: I love working people and picking out the collections. Its fun to be able to have relationships with our clients and be able to suggest pieces that would work best with their outfit but also step out of the box.
What is your favorite piece in your new fall collection?
A: Italian Honeymoon is one of my go to pieces. The color goes with just about anything and it can easily be worn with a casual or dressy outfit. Its one of those pieces that makes a statement without being too bold.
C: My favorite piece in the new fall collection is Changing Tides. I think that it is very classic and can be worn with almost every neckline, color, and fabric.
Ashley’s Favorite, Italian Honeymoon
Our favorite, Laters Baby
From where do you draw your inspiration?
A: The name “A La Plage” literally means at the beach in french, so as you can imagine most of our inspiration comes from the beach. Our love for this type of culture and lifestyle helps us to create collections that are fun, fashionable, and affordable.
C: One of the biggest parts of our inspiration comes from what we would wear on a daily basis. I think a good aspect of our partnership is being able to combine our different styles into one. Ashley is always the more daring and fashion forward of the two of us, and I usually stick to the more classic and staple items of a wardrobe. We balance each other out and come together to form a collection that represents each of our strengths.
Where do you see A La Plage in 5 years?
A + C: We are both very excited about the opportunity that we have and can see ourselves growing into a bright, successful future. Our hopes are that we will open a boutique within the next 5 years selling statement jewelry and hopefully expanding into other categories within the fashion industry. Hopefully at this point we will be designing our own pieces and further growing our brand.
What’s your #1 fashion tip for the ladies of Durham?
A: Don’t be afraid to stand out in a crowd, even on a rural campus where they’re horse barns to your left and cows to your right. Wear what you want, something that makes you feel confident and sexy no matter where you are.
C: To me being comfortable is the best way to feel confident. Its always good to step out of your comfort zone but always remain true to your personal style and how you want to present yourself.
To find out more about A La Plage Jewlery, visit their site:http://alaplagejewelry.blogspot.com/ or email them at alaplagejewelry@gmail.com! They’ve got some great stuff for some very reasonable prices!