Astha Jagwani’s jewellery has some serious A-lister fans, from Tyra Banks, to Deepika Padukone to the pathbreaking rapper Raja Kumari. The designer whose pieces are all handcrafted in Jaipur has a new festive line-up which is perfect for intimate weddings that are part of the new normal. The Khushnuma lineup is heavily influenced by authentic Rajasthani motifs and the karigari of the pieces are exceptionally breathy yet rooted in the traditional design language. In fact, Astha’s last collection, Jaali, also found a lot of love on social media for exploring art-nouveau Mashrabiya patterns found in Arabic woodwork.
“Brides are thinking differently now, especially intimate weddings, the focus is now on pieces which stand out, which look good in photos and on Instagram, and not on heavy-set pieces or something too traditional,” Astha tells us. We caught up with the jewellery designer to explore her line-up and to gauge what the new normal means for the bridal jewellery spectrum:
Tell us about the Khushnuma collection
The line-up is distinctly Jaipuri, bearing some authentic Rajasthani influences like the lotus, peacock and floral motifs which are elements that are synonymous with the artistry that originates there. Moreover the pieces are really versatile, since bridal jewellery has shifted its priorities in the last few months, the Khushnuma collection is very relevant to that aspect. It’s transitional, can be worn for longer hours, the pieces feature really breathy semi precious stones like rose quartz, onyx etc which are easy to match.
You have explored with exotic design memos in the past…
Yes, I have used a lot of western silhouettes in the past. The jaali collection, for instance, that did so well, features some prominent filigree work which is so common in Islamic architecture and is visible in palaces around Rajasthan. The line-up used the art-deco and art-nouveau Mashrabiya patterns found in Arabic woodwork and the collection featured some Amber chandbalis, Minaret maang tikka, Arabesque Paasa, Peacock naths.
How did the shutdown affect your process?
We were planning to launch a production around this time, it got delayed as the production did not happen in time. Now that things are resuming soon, we can plan our photoshoots and can finish up the production work and can launch the line-up next month.
Have you noticed a change in buying patterns in the bridal jewellery circuit?
Yes, so many brides are investing in fashion jewellery now, and not just for statement pieces like the maangtika or haathphool (which we contemporised in one of our past line-ups as the Golden Hathpadma, I remember Tyra Banks wore it once), but even earrings and necklaces for the D-day.
Since smaller weddings are in this season, brides are more conscious about what they look good in and what looks good on social media. No one is really that hungover over what’s real and what’s not, if you look good in something, the job is done. Millennial brides are not looking to spend a very hefty amount on a piece that does not work for them, they are steering towards interesting, wearable pieces.
What are millennials looking for when it comes to jewellery?
I started the brand when I was in my early twenties, so I made pieces for people who are young and are looking for something different and something edgy like the revamped version of the traditional haathphool, which made the age-old silhouette more cocktail-worthy.