By marrying Indian craftsmanship with global aesthetics, all while empowering local artisans, Bhavya Ramesh is pushing the boundaries of design
Words by Hitanshi Kothari
How do you blend Indian traditions with modern styles in your jewelry designs?
I feel like the primary aim of the brand was to shine a light on the traditional art forms that India has to offer to the field of jewelry. I think we are the ones who have so many techniques and so many crafts or when it comes to jewelry, because who loves jewelry more than Indians, right?
I just feel like it’s never been portrayed in a way that the global audience can appreciate it, and understand it, and adorn it on all occasions. Every single time, I think it’s appreciated as just Indian jewelry. Never has it been portrayed in a way or shown in a way that everybody can accommodate them in their day to day lives. When we have so much to offer to the field of jewelry, I always felt the need to voice it out. I felt the need that you know, we need to be recognized for what we can do and what we have to offer.
That’s when that unique sense of sense of design language was really birthed, marrying the Indian tradition with a sense of modernity that people can really understand and appreciate on a global platform. It’s time that we are recognized for what we can do. And you know, it’s time that the world really sees us for what we have to offer.
Can you discuss a bit more about how you help support the local artisan communities you work with and how you showcase diverse techniques in your work?
When it comes to jewelry, the industry in itself (when it comes to manufacturing) is always known for exploiting its artisans.
On the whole, when it comes to creating a brand, it also has to have its own manufacturing. We have a home or a family where we actually are trying to revive art forms and support crafts from the ground up, I think we have made sure that all our artisans are well paid, are working in a healthy environment, and all safety precautions are followed. I just aim to make sure that the people who are making your dreams come true or taken care of.
When it comes to knowledge, if you see the textile industry, you’ve always known the manufacturing behind it. Any regular Indian would have taken a fabric and gone to a tailor and asked them to stitch this pattern for me. I feel like jewelry has just never been known similarly. I think the only technique that a layperson will always know is that of soldering. That’s why I just feel like manufacturing in jewelry has never been shown. And that is something that I really aim to do, because customers really need to know what it is, and where it comes from.
As I was going through the website, I came upon these sunglasses dubbed “glarekillers”, and I thought it was intriguing. Where did you get the inspiration from, and how has the market reacted to it?
I want to be very innovative when it comes to making jewelry. To be very frank, growing up seeing so much jewelry, which I’ve never liked. It made me dislike jewelry to a certain extent. So if I’m doing jewelry, I really need to do something that is innovative, and that is fresh to me first, and then if it appeals to customers, good.
This is what I really want to do, like this is my driving force. The minute I’m doing the same thing over and over again. I get bored. I’m done. I wouldn’t do it right. It’s the same thing with sunglasses. I wanted to take different shapes of sunglasses and make this category mine. That really where this collection came from.
Like I said, I feel like Indian tradition has never been packaged in a way that the entire world can receive it. It’s neither too Indian, and it’s never tastefully done. I really want to bring value through my work.
