Jonathan Adler on Turning His Pottery Passion Into a Profession

What has been the secret to Jonathan Adler’s success? A little bit of luck, a passion for craft and a philosophy of saying “yes.”

Around three decades ago, Adler’s “lifelong love” of clay that began at summer camp transitioned from a hobby to a career. He sold his first pot to the American Craft Museum — now the Museum of Art and Design — and a Barneys New York order quickly followed. The rest is history. “I got very lucky, got my order from Barneys, and quite unexpectedly and accidentally became a potter,” he said.

In addition to his own home décor label, Adler has collaborated with buzzy brands, including designing a house for cultural icon Barbie. Some have also turned into ongoing relationships, such as his multicollection partnership with Ruggable. Creative alliances are one area where his tendency to say “yes” comes into play. “Collaborations are just a great way to be creative, to make news, and hopefully to ring the register as well,” he said.

In this episode of WWD Voices for Retail Rx, Ian Fredericks, president and chief executive officer of Hilco Consumer-Retail, speaks with Adler about his career, what was hot this holiday season and how his brand approaches retail.