As Swarovski completed 125 years, the jewellery brand roped in Bollywood actor, Bhumi Pednekar, for the first time to celebrate this milestone. Read on to know what Bhumi had to say about her association with Swarovski, her thoughts on its latest collection, things she has discovered about herself this year, and more.
ELLE: Tell us a little about your association with Swarovski and how does it feel to be the first-ever friend of the brand in India?
Bhumi Pednekar: It’s an absolute honour to be associated with Swarovski. The brand comes with a 125-year old legacy and stands for rich heritage, craftsmanship and elegance. I have always loved their jewellery and have grown up admiring their pieces. I am looking forward to seeing how this collaboration unfolds and given that Diwali is around the corner, I couldn’t have asked for a better time. While this year the festivities will not be like what they usually are, I still think it’s all about pampering yourself and there’s nothing like investing in some jewellery.
ELLE: Tell us your view on the #CelebrateYourSparkle collection
BH: #CelebrateYourSparkle is a lovely mix of contemporary and understated pieces that one can mix and match with whatever they are wearing. According to me, the collection is a perfect amalgamation of modern and classic. They have beautiful chokers, earrings, dainty rings, bracelets – a collection that can complement everything from a gown, saree to a lehenga or simple Western wear. I believe that women today enjoy mixing their jewellery pieces and don’t like to go with one particular look. And this collection allows you to do just that. Even though Diwali is a traditional festival, the definition of traditional has changed a lot over the years and this collection beautifully reflects that change.
ELLE: It’s been a challenging year for everyone but also a year of self-discovery and introspection. Are there any self-discoveries that you have made about yourself in the recent months?
BH: It has been a tough year and I’ve discovered a lot about myself but I think more than discovery, I have been able to do things that I always wanted to do. Due to the nature of my work, I have never really had time for myself. The recent months allowed me to experiment with new things and identify what I genuinely enjoy doing. For example, I started gardening and tried to create a kitchen garden with my mother. Now this is something I have never done before and found it to be extremely exciting and therapeutic. I went back to my books – read up on everything from history, geography, to sustainable living and beauty. The one thing that I consciously did during these months was to try and adopt a more sustainable way of living. In fact, it’s something my entire family did and we made it a part of our daily routine through little things in the day.
ELLE: Diwali has many connotations for each individual, be it religious, spiritual, or familial. What does Diwali signify to you, especially this year?
BH: This year, Diwali is all about being responsible. It’s a festival that is meant to be celebrated with family and friends, it’s a celebration of love, it’s a celebration of victory over evil and that is exactly what we are trying to do. The true essence of this year’s Diwali lies in all of us staying at home and defeating COVID-19. I am going to celebrate it by staying at home, wearing my mask, maintaining social distance and being responsible. And I think everyone should do that if we want to celebrate next year’s Diwali in a fun way.
ELLE: How does Swarovski as a brand complement you?
BH: I have a rather long journey with Swarovski as a brand, from a consumer point of view. The first ever, slightly indulgent thing, my parents gifted my sister and I were these iconic silicone Swarovski bands. Mine was orange in colour while my sister’s was red and they had Swarovski crystals embedded in it. This was in class 10th. Later, my aunt gifted me the Swarovski extendable bracelets. So I have been using their pieces since I was very young and what I love about Swarovski is that it has something for every age, every occasion and every piece has a lot of emotional value attached to it.
ELLE: If you have to elevate a look, what jewellery piece do you think would do the trick and why?
BH: I lean towards earrings. I feel they are very versatile. It can dress you up or down; it can make a boring outfit, fun, and can completely change your mood.
ELLE: Out of all the silhouettes in Indian wear (saree, lehenga-choli, salwar suit) which one do you like the most and can wear on any festive occasion?
BH: I love wearing sarees. I feel an Indian woman looks her best in sarees. Though I don’t wear them often in real life, I have worn it in many of my films and I truly enjoy draping them. Over the years I have started appreciating the nine yards and am slowly growing my own collection, which is a combination of some hand-downs from my mother and my own personal buys.
ELLE: If you could steal one thing from your mum’s closet what would it be and why?
BH: There are so many of those. But I think it would probably be a south silk saree that she has. It is one of those temple sarees in white with a wide gold border and is absolutely beautiful and timeless. I’ve seen my mother wear it so many times and just the way she looks in it, I thoroughly love that.
Swipe through for a look at Swarovski’s latest collection.
The Diwali collection is available at all Swarovski stores and on Myntra & Tata Cliq Luxury.
