What if couture could be treasured like a family heirloom, its threads carrying stories across generations? With Sona Chaandi, House of Shilpi Gupta reimagines the preciousness of Indian jewellery through the language of textiles. Drawing on the intricate artistry of thewa, meenakari and gota patti, the collection brings together real silver zari with gold finishing, intricate embroidery and precious gemstones.
How real silver zari and gold finishing define Sona Chaandi
Rajputana architecture and royal motifs find new expression in contemporary silhouettes, balancing nostalgia with modernity. In this conversation, founder Shilpi Gupta talks about the artisans, techniques and artistic memory behind the collection, and her vision of creating garments that are meant to be cherished, worn and passed down.
What does the name Sona Chaandi mean to you?
Sona Chaandi is deeply emotional for me. In India, sona and chaandi have never been merely precious metals—they are part of our celebrations, our blessings and our inheritance. They are something a mother preserves for her daughter and a family passes from one generation to another. I wanted to bring that same emotion into clothing.
What inspired this collection?
The collection began with a question: Why should the most precious Indian craftsmanship exist only in our jewellery boxes, museums and memories? I have always been fascinated by old Indian textiles, royal wardrobes, jewellery, architecture and the extraordinary hand skills that once surrounded them. I wanted to bring that richness into contemporary couture without making it feel like a costume from another era. So the inspiration is India —but an India seen through a contemporary lens.
Can you tell us about the use of real silver zari and gold finishing in the garments?
This is one of the most important aspects of Sona Chaandi. We work with real silver zari, with gold finishing used in selected applications, rather than relying solely on the metallic substitutes commonly seen today. It changes the soul of the garment. And philosophically, it connects back to the name Sona Chaandi—the preciousness is not merely a visual idea; it is physically woven and embroidered into the garment.
How do motifs such as jharokhas, jaalis, lotuses and peacocks influence the designs?
They are part of India’s visual memory. A jharokha frames a story. A jaali plays with light and shadow. The lotus has centuries of symbolism, and the peacock carries ideas of beauty, celebration and royalty. We abstract, refine and sometimes deconstruct these references so that they don’t feel literal.
Do you see these garments as future heirlooms?
Absolutely. In fact, that is at the heart of Sona Chaandi. I don’t want someone to buy a Sona Chaandi piece only because it is fashionable today. I want her to open it 20 years later and still feel that it is beautiful, relevant and precious.
How would you describe the balance between heritage and modernity in this collection?
For me, heritage is the vocabulary; modernity is the way we speak it. The craft may be centuries old, but the proportions, styling, negative spaces, colour stories and silhouettes must belong to the woman of today. I don’t believe preserving craft means freezing it in time. A tradition survives when a new generation desires it. That is the balance Sona Chaandi constantly tries to achieve.
If readers remember just one thing about Sona Chaandi, what would you want it to be?
I would want them to remember that Sona Chaandi creates garments with the soul of jewellery. Just as we inherit our mother’s gold and our grandmother’s silver, I hope Sona Chaandi becomes something women preserve, cherish and pass on.
Rs 1.5 lakh onwards. Available online.
—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
@ManuVipin
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