Now, you can order windmills in 18 karat gold...

Now you can order windmills in 18 karat gold. Well on your earrings, at least. Bharathi Raviprakash’s latest collection Mulino (which translates to windmills in Italian) offers lightweight jewellery with minimalist and contemporary appeal for the modern woman at work. With nearly 50 pieces to choose from ranging from neckpieces to bracelets and bangles — the designer tells us the idea came to her over a Eurotrip a couple of years ago. “I was staying at a hotel in Munich which was an old mill converted, it struck me as really beautiful,” she recalls.

Mulino, which looks as exotic as it sounds is one of the new collections that Bharathi’s 15-year-old jewellery brand, Studio Tara, will showcase at its new address in CIT Colony, Mylapore, (since January) this weekend. Interiors apart, the 51-year-old adds that over the years the identity of the brand has evolved as well. “We’re shifting our focus from being a bespoke brand to doing inspiration-based collections with a contemporary touch,” says the designer who went to the prestigious Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in London. Her passion for jewellery was sparked at a time when she was unable to find her own aesthetic in the market. “None of us are alike, so why should we be wearing pieces that are similar or that don’t have personalities like we do?” she asks outright.

 Dali dose of inspiration

In an homage to Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dali and his sense of eclecticism, Bharathi has crafted a second collection with Corian, a medium widely used for countertops, not accessories. The designer says she chose it because she wanted "something truely sculptural" without using too much gold. "It doesn’t scratch and I can use many colours," Bharathi lists out its perks. For the moment however, look out for black and white creations with embellishments like Burmese rubies and multi-coloured sapphires.
Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

And diversity is serious business, for Bharathi who has over the years found a muse in the strangest things, from chillis to broomsticks! So we aren’t surprised, when she shares, that her next project in the works with deep coloured gems is ‘all about fruits!’  We’ll happily take that apple a day now...

Launches today. At Studio Tara, CIT Colony, Mylapore. Mulino Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.

sonali@newindianexpress.com | @brightasunshine