Kolkata's fashionistas will get a glimpse for the first time of designer Anita Dongre's fine jewellery brand, Pinkcity in a trunk show to be held at the House of Anita Dongre store in the city. The exquisite pieces crafted with uncut precious gemstones and pearls set in hallmarked gold and jadau and Meenakari work have an essence of royal culture and a streak of Rajasthani folklores in them.
We had a chat with the couturier about her collection, before the showcase. Excerpts:
If you could please tell us the thought behind Pink City?
My earliest memories of jewellery are watching my mother and grandmothers put on meaningful pieces for a special occasion. These were pieces that were lovingly crafted by the family jeweller or an heirloom handed down. They were made with the purpose of adorning the wearer and completing an outfit so there was always a quiet, effortless grace about them- never too loud and always full of sparkling details.
When I started designing for brides I found that jewellery had lost its charm- they were always too loud, too carelessly made and often pandering to trends that were far shorter than the lifespan of a piece of fine jewellery! I had no success finding jewellery to style my lehengas with and so I created Pink City- a fine jewellery line of exquisitely handcrafted jadau and polki that bring effortless grace and meticulous detail into the 21st century.
This jewellery is inspired by Rajasthan, my memories of these graceful women and a way to revive traditional craftsmanship of jadau and polki.
What is particularly exciting about this collection is that they can be worn in multiple ways transitioning from bridal jewellery to occasional jewellery.
Is there any light wear options in this collection too? If yes, then can you pl give the details for the same?
Yes, we have a lot of standalone pieces that can be worn individually and larger pieces that can be detached into multiple smaller pieces. There's a breathtaking collection of earrings and rings that can even be paired with western wear like HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton did.
Which age-group is the edit targeted at?
Pink City started as a line of jewellery for brides but has evolved into a much-loved collection of jewellery for women who want to wear classic, timeless pieces.
If you could tell us a little about a few of your favourite pieces from this collection?
A piece I have in my personal collection is a classic pair of Polki earrings with a Pearl drop. It’s simple, minimal and something that adds a little bit of something special to your everyday.
Can you advise our fashion readers about what to wear and what not and how to pair jewellery?
Pick one hero piece and build the rest of your pieces around that. If you’re wearing large earrings allow that to shine through without having to compete for attention with a neckpiece or even your outfit. A thumb rule I apply is to stick to one metal in an entire ensemble. I don’t typically recommend pairing yellow metals with white. If you want to wear coloured stones pick a colour from your outfit to highlight or contrast your jewellery against. Bring your personality to the ensemble and be comfortable in what you’re wearing.
The trunk show will be held on February 1 at Woodburn Park, Elgin Road store