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Take chips of carefully polished wood, hammer metal into
it, add some bits of stone… or better still use strips of leather,
dyed yellow to make 36 glossy strings. Loop it around burnished
metal and twist blue alloy around it. What are we talking about?
Well, we’re discussing the most happening trend this season — using
unusual materials with precious metal to create truly unique jewellery.
Fashion icons around the globe are displaying it proudly. And the
rich and the famous in India are not ones to be left behind.
Samrat Zaveri, managing director of Trendsmith, who has his finger
on the pulse of a consumer’s aesthetic appreciation, says that he
has been making jewellery combining gold and diamonds with unorthodox
elements like wood, resin, leather plastic, rubber and unusual gem
stones for over 10 years. “To make unusual jewellery successful,
what you need are two things — firstly, the right clientele and
secondly, the right product,” he says. The idea is to inspire adulation.
Using the grain of wood, the colour of resin and plastic, or the
sheen of leather seems to have the desired effect. The result is
delicate jewellery with alluring colour. Zaveri has a select clientele
in India that simply loves his creations. He attributes part of
his success to the fact that he has the right people on the job.
“With the right people on the job, you stumble on the right combination.
And, lo! The design works.”
The sub-continent has witnessed great changes in tastes and trends.
Zaveri says that he observed this for some time and grabbed the
market at the nascent stage. “There is a large section of the Indian
population who have their pulse on the global market,” he says.
“They travel abroad two to three times a year and wear the ‘right’
garments, with the ‘in’ watches. Jewellery, for them is just another
aspect of their attire.” Zaveri caters to the European market too,
but, the jewellery sent there is traditional. “But don’t get me
wrong. The fact that we do conventional designs for Europe only
means that this is what works for us”, he says. Zaveri also feels
that as more and more people start using mixed jewellery, the trend
to using, what he calls ‘progressive’ jewellery, will catch on in
a big way.
Jewellery designer Niharika Khan is similarly excited about using
different materials in combination with gold and silver. Essentially,
a silver jewellery designer, she has found that there are very few
takers for bold and unusual patterns. “I still find people looking
for Jaipur patterns. I think that this trend, which is a rage in
Europe and the US, has not yet caught up with the Indian market.
Unfortunately whatever you say, people in India still do buy gold
as an investment. It is never like that in the European arena.”
This still does not stop Niharika from creating jewellery from leather
and wood. Niharika has even added gold accents to her silver wares.
“It is a designer feel. That is what gives you the push to go on.
It would be great if you had to design jewellery for an art gallery,”
she says. Niharika feels mix and match will work out eventually,
when Hollywood makes it a rage and Bollywood imitates the same.
Until then, experimenting with plastic, glass and wood and combining
them with precious metal will sell only on a small scale. “In India,
unless Bollywood does it, the trend is not strong,” she points out.
Rajeev Popley of Popley and Sons says that they have been working
with leather and gold for some time. However, the patterns in his
outlets are far more conservative. “Our designs are based on a research
team that sets designs based on feedback of consumers,” says Rajeev.
Popley, which has a strong presence in the Middle East, says their
mixed media products are doing well with a certain set of people,
but he doubts it will have a strong product presence on its own.
“It will take time for people to buy jewellery that is expensive
and meant to wear, and not invest. We are also doing pieces with
a lot of coloured gems and gold. We are experimenting with offbeat
gems,” he adds.
Rhea Nasta, head of jewellery design, who has her own counter of
designer jewellery called Rhea at the Popley outlets, and also runs
a design institute, says that she finds leather the most appealing
to work on. “I am doing funky stuff using leather,” she explains.
“When we say leather, we mean material that looks like leather.
This can be mother-of-pearl, or other material that looks and feels
like leather.” Nasta is clear that when she is making jewellery
of this kind she is targeting a younger audience — kids who have
high disposable income and who want different pieces, and don’t
buy jewellery merely to invest.
The trinkets that she makes are mostly bands that go across the
neck in a close fit. Other patterns that work are centerpieces and
pendants. “We do slim bands and we do tubular ones,” she says, adding,
“These go well with casual wear. Wristbands also look great with
this kind of design. Again, wristbands are done in a fitted way,
in which the band is made of leather and gold is fused as funky
patterns. When wrist bands are made to fit loosely, then the gold
is used like charms in a bracelet.” At Rhea’s counter at Popley,
‘experimental’ jewellery fits into the low-to-medium range of products.
She is not surprised that a lot of youngsters walk into the shop
looking for something ‘different’.
“The trend has changed. Nobody is waiting for their mothers or
mother-in-laws to buy them jewellery,” says Rhea. “I enjoy doing
mixed media. It enhances my creativity.” Jewellery designer Farah
Khan Ali confesses that using different products has indeed become
a trend in a big way. “I have been using wood in my jewellery for
a long time now. Now I am experimenting with precious metal and
other coloured metals. I want to use alloys to make blue gold and
black gold. What I am also trying is making jewellery with fabric.
I am using fabric like organza and silks. Louis Vuitton did it with
bags. I will do it with jewellery. People want jewellery which stands
out,” says Rhea, who also uses a lot of semi-precious gemstones
for the colour and the effect they have.
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