ROHITA Bhaskaran’s eponymous jewellery label offers a beautiful synthesis of traditional craftsmanship juxtaposed intelligently with modern elements. Rohita creates bespoke pieces of jewellery with semi- precious stones, and an alloy of brass and copper. A graduate in English with no formal training in jewellery designing, Rohita’s journey took off from an exhibition, organised at her home in 2005. She says, “I was into drawing, majorly black and white, and held my solo shows as well. Also, I loved creating something new with whatever I had — wood, shells, pearls and beads, among other things. I held an exhibition at home and, in 2013, the label was launched.”
With a focus on earrings and necklaces, the statement pieces at the Loudon Street store will appeal to Gen Z sartorial demands. Traditional kundan jewellery are jazzed up with striking twists of stones, shells, baroque pearls and more. We loved the wrap-around chain necklace that spoke volumes about Rohita’s craftsmanship. Available in silver and gold and in two styles — wrap-around scarf and choker — the colourful stones accentuate the look. “Metals have been woven like a fabric here. When I first proposed the idea to my craftsmen, they were skeptical, but were happy with the outcome,” says the designer, who sources her stones from across the country. She adds, “It’s multi-purpose jewellery. You can wear it like a scarf, as it has a loop. You can wrap it closer to your neck and use it as a choker, and it can be worn as a bracelet, too.”
At her 1,650 sq ft showroom-cum-office, Rohita bowled us over with her Star Burst series. The striking neck piece in matte gold, with minimal stones, is a sureshot head-turner. We also love the dual tone handcuffs that have flat and uneven baroque pearls, lending the piece a raw appeal. “Texturing interests me a lot. We used the bark of a tree as a mould to give this uneven texture to the metal,” says the designer.
Price on request.