Jordan Alexander Jewelry

Theresa Bruno’s funky yet classic pearl jewelry designs are worn by celebrities all over the country, but her heart and headquarters are right here in the Magic City.

When she couldn’t find the type of pearl strands she was looking for five years ago, she started designing her own. She envisioned elegant jewelry with more edge than what she had seen and collected. Over the years, her mother and grandmother had passed on their chic style, and her friend Jennifer Styslinger pushed her to be more avant-garde.

Today, her work is available in 80 showrooms across the United States, but when it came time to open a showroom of her own, Bruno knew she wanted to bring it to Birmingham.

“It’s one of the sweetest things in the world when a community rallies around you,” she said. “I love going to parties and seeing my designs on all my friends.”

Her flagship retail store in English Village opened nearly a year ago, with a showroom downstairs and office upstairs. 

Her pieces use sliced pearls and raw gems, all set in precious metals and diamonds. Signature triple-knotted pearl necklaces give each piece movement and personality and come in colors from rich cocoa to shining silver. She envisions them paired with everything from a T-shirt to a formal dress.

Bruno’s line has been covered by major magazines, including Oprah, Vogue, Women’s Wear Daily and Southern Living, and the list of celebrities who have donned her designs is long.

“I squeal with every one of them,” she said.

Younger stars like Kristin Stewart and Pink stand out to her, as do people such as Michelle Obama and Katie Couric whom she said “define the world for us.”

The Jordan Alexander showroom in English Village showcases her three distinct lines. “Jordan Alexander light” offers fresh, organic pieces that run $150-500. Next up, a line priced from $1,000-5,500 features larger pearls and diamonds in Bruno’s unique settings. 

On the upper echelon, her jewelry for 12 Four Seasons locations run $10,000-50,000. These pieces are not marketed in Birmingham, but she displays a few for local shoppers to see. She also hopes to display items from her Four Seasons home line — with features like paint made with crushed pearls and pearlized leather — in the showroom. 

Now that she is better learning her local audience, Bruno has begun to design for Birmingham customers based on trends in sales.

“Southern women are pretty and soft, and they have a lot of energy,” Bruno said. “It’s fun to take a woman with traditional pearls and take their look and make it more youthful.”

Whatever the look, she envisions her pieces as beautiful yet edgy ones women can collect for the rest of their lives.

Jordan Alexander also does custom work. Bruno said several women in town have brought in their grandmothers’ pieces for her to remake. The end result is a one-of-a-kind design with a personal tie.

“I design specifically for a woman,” she said. “I take their personality and style in mind when deciding on coloring and a comfort zone. It makes me happy to make people feel good about themselves.”

Due to the availability of diamonds and pearls, Bruno buys her materials in Los Angeles and works with a craftsman there about one week of each month. Beyond that, she has chosen to locate as much of her business as possible in Birmingham — about 40 percent — to create positive economic impact. And if she’s not in Los Angeles, you can find her in her English Village showroom.