Designer Jade Jagger on how Jaipur unlocks her creativity

JADE JAGGER: Designer

I’ve visited Jaipur regularly ever since I was nine years old. My family would make frequent trips to India, and I remember the Pink City as a magical place.  

City Palace

Now, I work here, making jewellery, as I’ve done for the past 20 years.

Jaipur brings me a sense of inspiration and creativity that I find nowhere else. I often visit with designs and sketches already planned, but once I’m here, I suddenly discover new ideas because I’m always surrounded by so much craft and such great workmanship, especially when it comes to gems.

When I have some time, I love to go out to the monkey temples to find some solitude, or go fabric-hunting in Ridhi Siddhi. I also love the sunsets from Amer Fort…

Amer Fort

you can’t beat them. I’ve tried to work in other countries—Thailand, Italy and the UK—but I constantly find myself coming back to Jaipur, because it’s where I feel I am at my most creative. It brings out something in me that’s quite indefinable; I just know that I love it here.

Photograph: Shutterstock (Amer Fort, City Palace)