bold, confident and having swagger, which is actually really important for retail. As a retailer, you need to be confident, really know who you are and be unapologetically yourself.” In addition to having swagger, Adler also emphasized the importance of consistent reinvention to hold onto the attention of consumers. “It’s really hard, especially in brick-and-mortar, to get somebody into the doors of your establishment, so you need to just be full of surprises. Constant change is required to be relevant.” From ceramicist to brand founder to acquisition  During this panel, Adler discussed his journey in the industry, from starting as a ceramicist who simply wanted to create beautiful products to becoming the founder of one of the most well-recognized brands within the luxury homeware space.  “It’s funny for me to be at this conference talking to a bunch of retail professionals, because I’ve always thought of myself as an amateur at everything I do.” Having started out as a potter, Adler assumed he would be “embarking on the life of penury”, making products he loved but eking out a living hawking his wares at rain-soaked craft fairs.  “My challenge when I was a potter was that I just wanted to make things that were personal to me… Many years later, as a retail professional, my challenge is to maintain the vibe of when I first started.  “Of all the stuff I make, whether it’s a glamorous sectional sofa or a brass cocktail table, I try to keep it as fresh as it was when I was just a dude with some clay and a wheel.” While some retailers may argue that this level of whimsy is unnecessary to compete in today’s market, others would note that it is this intention to delight the consumer that has led the brand to where it is today. Currently, Jonathan Adler operates 11 retail locations in the US and the UK, a thriving e-commerce platform and a wholesale business with more than 1,000 points of distribution globally.  As of January 2025, Consortium Brand Partners, a private equity firm, acquired Jonathan Adler through a partnership with American Exchange Group. Adler stated that his partnership with Consortium Brand Partners will allow him to “continue to expand my world of creativity” while taking the brand to new heights.  The importance of blending beauty and efficiency into the shopping experience As Adler told Charli Penn, the editor-in-chief of Apartment Therapy, and an apt audience of retail executives, “You’re selling a fantasy in retail.” The brand founder added that while, in reality, the consumer may not be living the most glamorous life, they should feel like they can own everything and become an “opulent person once they walk into a Jonathan Adler store”.  “A retail store should feel like you are entering a joyful place that is theatrical,” he said “Retail sales associates should be transporting you to a place of joy and happiness. “The truth is that most people don’t need a lot of the stuff people in this room are selling, but that’s sort of what retail is. Convincing somebody that the environment they’re in and the products that you’re selling are going to make them happy and change their lives in a positive way.” Adler pointed to one of his brand’s own products, an acrylic mushroom that retails for $695 to $1595, depending on the size, as an example of a product that is completely unessential but provides joy. “Great product and a great retail experience can give you a kind of buzz and take you on a mini-vacay,” he said. However, a great product alone is nothing if the execution of the customer experience isn’t seamless from start to finish.  “Now, more than ever, you have to have your logistics game on point, because you can sell something beautiful, but if it doesn’t show up when people want it, then it won’t work,” Adler said. “When people actually make the purchase, I remain extraordinarily grateful to them. That is just a reflection of how we all should be. We should always remember that people don’t need to buy the stuff that they’re buying from us and that the customer is still always right.” “It’s a difficult time to be a retailer, and it’s not as easy as it used to be. Which just means that we, as retailers, need to continue to improve to hit every note.”