WJA INDIA LAUNCHES BOOK ON DESIGNERS

In a first of its kind initiative, Women’s Jewellery Association (WJA) India unveiled a book featuring 15 designers, encapsulating their journey into the glittering world of jewellery. The book, titled WJA Designers of India, was launched by Nirupa Bhatt, president WJA India, along with GJEPC chairman Pramod Agrawal and other dignitaries at IIJS Signature on February 10th. Agrawal said, “The WJA book will take the industry to new heights. The Council has always supported design institutes and I congratulate Nirupa Bhatt and the designers on this accomplishment.”.

In the book’s preface, Bhatt says, “Design is the key to promote the growth of the gem and jewellery industry. India has an abundance of talent that creates excellent jewellery designs for the domestic and international markets. Apart from the established names, there are many first generation jewellery designers in India, who have dared to dream big, and have made a mark for themselves. This book intends to highlight their achievements… I am happy to present this book, which I hope will reach out to the entire gem and jewellery fraternity.”

The 15 designers featured in the book are: Archana Jain, Bhairavi Shah, Kapila Bhutta, Gitanjli Sahijwaala, Krishma S Jain, Kirtee Shah, Laksh Pahuja, Meghna Bag Dass, Priti Bhatia, Priya Kaur, Rashmi Coprum, Soni Amin Shirin, Tejal Jhaveri, Shrusshti Sharma and Vijay Soni.

The book was sponsored by Shridhar Exquisite Jewellery, Chain N Chains, Jewellery Youth Forum (India), Mukti, and Nish Jewels.

Meet the Designers

ARCHANA JAIN is a self-taught designer, who has gained hands-on experience in creating trendy mangalsutras, at Swastik Jewellers, Mumbai. A keen observer, she absorbs inputs from customer interaction and market trends when designing daily wear jewels for the new-age woman. Swastik Jewellers are manufacturers and wholesalers of designer mangalsutras.

BHAIRAVI B SHAH is a first-gen designer, who has learnt designing under the guidance of her husband. With the support of her family, she started designing for Bhavesh Jewellers, Mumbai and Mayil Jewels. Her Vrindavan collection was considered a pioneering effort in 3D jewellery and was an inspiration to many. She does not see jewellery as an investment, but as adornment that is passed down from generation to generation. She won the Golden Hand award in 2014 in Chennai. Her designs reached the top 5 Finalist stage at the NJA Awards 2017, in the “Paramparik Awards” category.

KAPILA BHUTTA is a recognised independent jewellery designer in Mumbai. Fascinated and inspired by the multicoloured gemstones, Kapila believes that each gemstone has a fire that is unique to it. “It is this fire that draws me to enhance its beauty and convert it into expressions of individuality and style.” With more than two decades of experience behind her, Kapila’s exotic creations are infused with variegated hues. Designing for the modern woman, the entrepreneur, who doubles up as a homemaker, runs a brand Joolriefusion, and believes in empowering the wearer with her feminine but statement designs.

GITANJLI SAHIJWAALA’s strong pull to pursue her untapped passion for jewellery designing forced her to restart life anew. A Postgraduate from the SNDT University (Mumbai) in Dietetics & Food Service Management, she is also a qualified teacher, who taught for 15 years at Arya Vidya Mandir, Juhu, Mumbai. ‘If not now, then when,’ she thought to herself. “Jewellery designing was on top of my bucket list,” she reveals. Gitanjali happens to be a first-generation jeweller with a design studio at home, and has done very well for herself in a short span of time.

KRISHMA S JAIN, the award-winning designer based in southern India may have possibly been a teacher or an interior designer, but for her mother, who recognised her latent talent and gently nudged her into this field.

LAKSH PAHUJA is the creator of spectacular pieces of jewellery. A winner of several awards, he is the acme of boundless creativity; a visualiser of exceptional concepts, from which he fashions jewellery through masterful execution. Moreover, Laksh has a rare sensitivity to the world around him, which adds altogether another dimension to his jewellery.

MEGHNA BAG DASS, the award-winning designer, has always been fascinated with the idea of designing. Armed with a Master’s in Sociology and Jewellery Designing, she has mastered the art of blending human perspective in her design. Being an ingenious and meticulous designer, her unprecedented thoughts have shaped her in setting up a design studio MBD Creations.

PRITI BHATIA, couture jewellery designer and founder of Awesome Sparklers, Surat, found her calling when she was going through the rough and tumble of life. At her mother’s suggestion, Priti started the jewellery business to occupy herself constructively. But today, this award-winning designer is constantly in the spotlight as one of India’s leading designers.

KIRTEE SHAH’s strong sense of intuition led her to her professional destiny. Belonging to a family of nonjewellers, Kirtee knew early on that she found creative peace when she painted, cooked, or indulged in any other craft. So when this Commerce graduate came across a jewellery manufacturing course, she was instantly drawn to it. Life is full of surprises … Today, Kirtee is a notable designer who has developed a distinct signature of her own.

Jewellery designer PRIYA KAUR straddles the twin worlds comfortably – she is known for her spiritual jewellery as well as contemporary bespoke creations. After a diamond grading course, she was totally mesmerised by diamonds, and this paved the way for her journey into designing.

Life takes one through unexpected twists and turns which leads you to opportunities that chisel out the best in you. This is the story of RASHMI COPRUM, a small-town girl born and brought up in Chickmagalur, the coffee capital of India, who found her calling as a designer after marriage into a family of jewellers. The rest, as they say, is history.

The rarity and the shine of a diamond was what drew SHRUSSHTI SHARMA towards designing jewellery. The love affair began way back in 2002, and the passion has not dimmed one bit for her.

An avid sportswoman, who spent her adolescent years playing hockey, badminton, cricket and tennis, TEJAL JHAVERI chose to explore another hidden passion — that of jewellery designing. Though the two streams are poles apart, what threads the story of her life together is Tejal’s lifelong love for learning. A trained jewellery designer and gemmologist, Tejal also finds travelling therapeutic and goes on at least two vacations a year. “I’ve visited about 40 countries so far and I have loved every experience,” she says, “I also enjoy reading autobiographies and books on philosophy. I’m always looking to grow as an individual and reading helps me reflect on who I am.”

For a first-generation jewellery designer, SONI AMIN SHIRIN has carved a niche for herself in the firmament filled with Indian designers. The winner of an Artisan Award organised by the GJEPC, Soni is an MBA degree holder in Marketing, aims big and wants to expand beyond jewellery and into the world of accessories. She founded Shireen’s Creazione in Jaipur in 2016, and has a kiosk in a Shenzhen mall. The artist has also designed for some of the top international brands, and a few aviation companies, and has created many pieces for ramp shows.

At an age when most youngsters are still playing with toys and reading comic books, designer VIJAY SONI would remain mesmerised by the dazzling array of jewellery pieces being assembled in the family’s atelier. Vijay knew from early on that jewellery design was his life’s true calling.