Classic Bollywood meets jewellery giants in Forevermark’s latest collaboration. Designer Manish Malhotratries his hand at jewellery by partnering with Anmol Jewellers. The result? A cascading pair of chandelier earrings, reminiscent of Malhotra’s iconic designs. We catch up with the designer to celebrate the effort.
ELLE: Have you always been interested in jewellery?
Manish Malhotra: Always! When I started styling costumes in the ’90s, jewellery was a huge part of the look, and I remember that all the top heroines had a very limited choice (largely silver) available to them. Back then I would add beads, break two to three earrings to create something new — that’s the level of interest I’ve always had in jewellery. Even when I was at Sheetal Design Studio, and hadn’t started my brand yet, I thought of launching a jewellery label. I used to go to Seepz, which is the jewellery hub in Mumbai. I also went to Vicenza, Italy for a jewellery fair (that’s when I learnt about power setting).
ELLE: So how did this collaboration come about?
MM: I work very closely with Anmol Jewellers, so when they approached me I was thrilled! Forevermark is a global platform, given their collaborations with international designers, and I’ve always wanted my culture and design philosophy to go places. This also finally gave me the opportunity to pick up where I left off — an inroad into jewellery design.”
ELLE:What was the inspiration behind the collection?
MM: For me, it was about sticking to my design philosophy, which is very Indian and old-worldly. It was my interpretation of the vintage opulence of well-travelled aristocracy from the 1930s and 1940s. It has an Indian flavor but is still very modern (the big and bold shape is very today).
