Many of the pieces from Evaness employ familiar and playful motifs such as flowers, clouds, stars, and hearts that evoke joy.
Founder of fine jewellery brand Ri Noor, Shibani Shinde Patil launched her second sub-brand Evaness in June this year. “The brand name combines my daughter’s name, Eva, which means life; the suffix speaks to the “ness” in closeness, togetherness and happiness and other words that encapsulate a larger theme of connection,” says the self-taught designer, who aims to strike a balance with wearable and attainable pieces made using “finely sourced materials and skilled workmanship.”
Shibani wanted to gift her daughter jewellery at a young age, but it also had to have appropriate aesthetic and price points. “The ensuing global pandemic was a major contributing factor as many of us were unable to meet our families, loved ones and friends. And that’s how the idea of a collaborative jewellery collection took shape,” she explains.
Many of the pieces from Evaness employ familiar motifs such as flowers, clouds, stars, and hearts. “The pieces are not just for mothers and daughters; we love the collaborative collection concept and is aimed at siblings, cousins and close friends. Our charms and other pieces can be used to create a tapestry of moments and memories, stories and wishes to be worn,” adds Shibani.
Her children inspire much of what she creates these days. “After spending so much time with them during the pandemic, I found that instead of stifling my creativity, they were enabling it in the most delightful of ways. The fairy stories I read to them at night — Alice in Wonderland is a family favourite, and the warmth and good humour with which they greet the world – all surface in the collection’s motifs.”
Unlike her fine jewellery brand Ri Noor, Evaness is driven by familiar and playful motifs that evoke joy. “These motifs take us back to our childhood.”
The collections – Memento, Remembrance, Enchanted and Magical Beginnings – feature 14-karat gold wearables with very attractive price points: the mini charms are priced at $130 and the egg charm flip rings in moonstone, blue chalcedony and purple amethyst set with diamonds and emerald or sapphires are priced under $3,000. The affordable price points are crucial to the brand’s success.
How does she overcome the challenges of production and cost management? “It is incredibly challenging for an outsider without generations of industry connections, to operate in an industry that is opaque in terms of business. This only increases my resolve and I do not let anything impact the pursuit of my quality-value equation goal. I have, as part of my extensive research and development (R&D) process, improved on manufacturing and materials. The majority of my pieces are now made in Hong Kong and Thailand, which is a function of the workmanship I need for my newer collections. This, of course, is a dynamic process and will continue to be fine-tuned,” informs the Houston-based designer.
Shibani has an assortment of charms and pendants that can be worn as a single piece or stacked. She recalls customising a necklace by attaching four Remembrance sun charms horizontally. “The client had four children and wanted to wear the necklace daily. We have since introduced earrings, rings that showcase how versatile these charms and motifs are. A new favourite of mine are the Enchanted egg charm flip rings, which provides a playful and impactful way to wear our egg charms,” says Shibani.
From time-to-time, she draws on her Indian heritage and traditional gem carving and overlays. “I have used some of the more traditional gemstone carvings in my designs; for instance, Remembrance and Enchanted borrow from the same art form of carving natural gemstones and overlaying them with diamonds and other gemstones, but in a contemporary style.”