Meet Carla Degen | Co-Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carla Degen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carla, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Allara meaning one who brings happiness and brightness to the soul, was founded by a Miami based husband-and-wife duo who have been a part of the diamond wholesale industry for decades. It was a natural step to venture into jewelry considering our proximity to it in the diamond wholesale business. Allara started off as a passion project and creative outlet that was fed by our admiration for the natural process that creates diamonds. Our goal was to create a natural diamond jewelry line (emphasis on natural diamonds) that is accessible and can be worn everyday. We wanted to create a jewelry line that we could share with the world as a testament of what we believe luxury is defined by: simplicity and quality. With that in mind, we curated the entire jewelry collection using natural diamonds and 18kt recycled gold. Through every piece we hope that the wearer feels a connection to the beauty of nature while elevating their everyday look.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our diamond wholesale business has been family owned and operating since 1979. As a result it has seen how the world and the diamond industry has changed over decades, and we’ve had to reinvent ourselves to be able to stay in business. I am really proud of how we’ve evolved as a company from starting off as wholesale loose diamond dealers to expanding into jewelry, watches and creating our very own jewelry brand. It has been a road of continuous learning, and adapting to the ever-changing market demands and consumer preferences. But this has made us better entrepreneurs and a more diversified company. I am excited for the road ahead to see how Allara Jewels grows and evolves as an established brand in the jewelry industry.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Being raised in Miami i can firmly attest that there is more to Miami than fancy dining and clubbing. Miami doesn’t get enough credit for its independent restaurants, galleries and nature. Some of my favorite spots are: Rubell Museum, La Natural, Tam-Tam, Miami Sound Bar, Sunny’s BBQ, Boater’s Grill, Vizcaya, The Kampong to name a few.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We wouldn’t be where we are today if it weren’t for our early supporters/partners that believed in us and our brand. We can’t express the amount of gratitude that we have to the jewelry stores, hotels, and unpaid influencers who gave us a space to show our brand to the world!

Website: https://www.allarajewels.com

Instagram: allarajewels

Image Credits
Icone Studios

Edouard Chemin

Anabel Salinas