There is something ethereal about the accessories at Khwab Studio, a conceptual jewellery label created by Aaliya Jamal Zaidi. The shapes and designs demand a double-take - at times they are eclectic but then again whimsical.
At the moment, she has two collections in her repertoire. “The Iris collection is inspired by the Iris studies of the scholar Kripal Singh and some beautiful ancient Afghan artefacts. The Tree of Life collection was originally inspired by the ceramic installation Ashwatta by Nidhi Jalan,” says the founder of the label. The themes, we observe, draw from nature and ancient ruins. Most of the pieces look like some flora or fauna that has kind of turned into gold or silver. One can expect to find rings, necklaces and earrings of different sizes and shapes to suit your taste. The highlight, we are informed are their Tree of Life earrings and rings from the collection. The drop earrings and necklace from the Iris collection are worth checking out as well.
Each piece of jewellery is made in sterling silver with semi-precious stones and is handcrafted in Jaipur. There’s a gold-plated option available as well. Although Mumbai-based, Aaliya is studying in the United States, Masters in Industrial Design at Rhode Island School of Design at the moment. Talking about how she started the label, she says, “Khwab Studio was the natural progression of my exploration in jewellery design. I am a creative person and was always in awe of other jewellery designers when I met them.” She confesses that she has always been enamoured by clothes and jewellery.
Initially, she worked in marketing for over five years and in 2018 is when she decided to make a move, prompted by a fateful meeting. “I did a shoot for Sreesha Shetty's Shop Lune and she gave me the encouraging nudge I needed to just go out and try it out,” says the designer. That’s where the seeds of Khwab, (the name translates into dream in English), was sown. After that, she reached out to Kichu Dandiya of Kichu Jewellery who is based out of Jaipur, and she asked her if she could work under her and learn a bit about jewellery design. “That turned out to be the best decision ever because it was while I was at Kichu's that I designed the two collections you see today in Khwab,” informs Aaliya. It was two months after leaving Jaipur that she showed the pieces to friends and family who loved what she made and she spent the whole of last year establishing the label. We like, how one statement accessory from the brand can easily translate into a conversation starter. “If you look at the designs they're all hand-made and looks earthy. My design inspirations are either from nature or old artefacts. The idea is to look hand-made but still luxe, organic forms that are beautiful and wearable,” concludes Aaliya.
Rs 3,300 onwards. Available online via No Borders Shop