Bijouterie label Gahane by Onirban Sen recreates pieces from eras lost in time
Recreating bijouterie that tell the tales of yesteryear is no mean feat. Bengal has a rich and long history of heritage jewellery that speaks of the prevalent fashion of the decadent zamindari era. Be it Haathphools, Naksha Balas, chur, or kaan pasha each piece tells a unique story of the times. Though a few homegrown renowned gold jewellers have done a splendid job of recreating precious jewels, there are rarely any brands offering such pieces in gold, or silver in affordable options. And here's where the gold and silver jewellery label Gahane's speciality lies in. The bijoux label remakes beautiful traditional pieces of jewellery from the bygone era that strikes the emotional chords of any Bengali at heart. Worn by actors Nusrat Jahan, Paoli Dam, Swastika Mukherjee and the like, Gahane has become extremely popular for its timeless pieces and we talk to Onirban Sen, founder-designer of the label to understand what makes it stand out.
What's the USP of your brand in a market full of jewellery labels?
Hailing from a family of jewellers, we have worked closely with different sets of karigars and I have observed that a few of our very aged karigars are running out of work since their designs are no more in demand. But there are certain beautiful pieces which can be remade. To provide them with a living, I started working on the designs which used to be in vogue some 30-40 years back besides the historically trendy pieces.
Once I started posting a few of the designs on social media, I received phenomenal responses and there was no looking back. Many of my clients were so happy receiving our products, they wanted to make a few in gold too. We have also customised a few jewellery for our clients in the exact same way they wanted. Our jewellery has a lot of emotions attached to it, which we love to cherish and that is our USP.
What are the innovations you have introduced in your designs?
Most of the heritage jewellery designs are heavier than the modern varieties. But we are remaking the pieces in lightweight and with a modern touch.
There are certain specialisations too that we offer. For example, the very popular Projapoti tiara made by us can be worn as a choker as well. There are many Maan-tikka which can be used as pendants as well. So, most of our pieces are convertibles and can be worn in multiple ways.
What are the jewellery preferences of millennials?
The majority of our clients are young and they love to wear the jewellery they had seen their grandparents wearing. There is a myth that traditional jewellery can be worn with only traditional outfits. A lot of our clients send us their pictures wearing our kanbalas for dinner dates, birthday parties and even with jeans.
What are your upcoming collections?
Our upcoming collection will be a mix of lightweight handmade naksha and jadau pieces which can be worn with any outfit and for any occasion.
Are there any plans for a physical store anytime soon?
Yes, we are working on it and meanwhile, we are participating in several exhibitions so that our clients can touch and feel our products.