The Monsoon collection by Dassani Brothers pays a colourful tribute to Mother Nature’s bounties. Sumit Dassani, the firm’s partner elaborates on the new line and bridal business outlook for the year.
Known for their stylised handcrafted kundan-meena and jadau jewellery, Dassani Brothers have come up with the Monsoon collection that consists of modern-day heirlooms. Originally from Bikaner, the brand has more than three decades of legacy since its inception in Mumbai. Steering away from the traditional use of wax (lac) in the kundan-meena category, the gem-set treasures provide exceptional value to its customers.
Tell us more about conception of the Monsoon line
Monsoon is the season of colours, the showers are a harbinger of blooms and varied other colourful elements in nature – the verdant greens landscapes, fanned out feathers of the dancing peacock, the crystal clear river water and more. Every piece encapsulates a design aesthetic that is crafted to make every woman feel like a princess. The gold collection features necklaces studded with polkis, precious gemstones and pearls to cater to every mood. There is also an array of an intricate and elegant range of rings, patlas, and maang tikas to suit various occasions and budgets.
The rings in the Monsoon collection start from Rs.35000 onwards; earrings from Rs. 50,000 onwards; and bangles and bracelets start from Rs. 125,000. Necklace sets cost Rs.250000 upwards.
What are the gemstones used to evoke the feel of the monsoon?
The line is energized with emeralds to denote the greenery, rubies to represent the glorious sunsets, and tanzanites to symbolise the skies after passing away of thunderstorms. The collection is further complemented with pink sapphires, pearls, and diamonds.
We keep an eagle-eye tracker to understand the latest trends in the market, with an in-house team of skilled artisans and designers. Our designers start conceptualising approximately six months before the launch of a collection; and the concept includes the process of sketching, sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing and quality check before the final product is unveiled.
Tell us more about demand in the bridal segment in India? Have the sales been impacted? Which regions are doing well in the domestic region?
The lockdown did bring in some worries as most weddings were postponed or cancelled. However, after the restrictions eased we saw a huge demand.
Since the weddings were private and downsized in terms of invitees, we saw an overall rise in sales of jewellery, but demand in Southern states was comparatively higher.
Have you made any other lines during the pandemic that falls into the prêt or couture category?
During the pandemic, we focused on lightweight and affordable jewellery which consisted of unusual style pendant sets using coloured precious and semi-precious stones to give it a royal touch. Most of this jewellery was made with 14-karat gold to make it affordable.
Which are your strong export destinations? We would like to know the trends in terms of designs of your three top export markets.
Our major export markets are Dubai, the USA and the Middle East. The jewellery requirement in terms of design in Dubai is the same as in India, however, in the USA preference shifts towards more delicate and lightweight jewellery that is classy and elegant.