Bejewelled Teeth, Family Portraits And The Rise Of Rebellious Jewellery

Somewhere between family photos, subculture, and South Asian nostalgia lies a gold-toothed grin that makes you pause. It’s not trying too hard. It’s not polished for perfection. It’s simply doing what good design always does—sparking emotion.

For Shrikesh Choksi, it all began with a dream. Not a metaphorical one, but a literal, sleep-induced vision of one of his favourite rappers wearing grillz. “I was obsessed,” he admits. “First with the product, then with the craft behind it.” What followed wasn’t a traditional route through design school or glossy jewellery showrooms; it was time spent learning from karigars, drawing on his childhood surrounded by heirloom pieces, and letting curiosity lead the way.

This obsession became Frostbite Lab, a label that turns teeth into personal canvases, blending Indian jewellery techniques with streetwear energy. But at its core, the brand doesn’t just deal in gold and gems—it deals in memory, emotion, and rebellion.

“There is no art without emotion,” Choksi says. “And this emotion is built into the very genesis of what I do.”

The Story Begins At Home

The breakthrough moment wasn’t a celebrity endorsement or a flashy fashion week debut—it was a family portrait. Shot by celebrated photographer Rid Burman on Juhu Beach, the campaign featured Choksi’s own parents wearing grillz, flowers in hand, styled on the spot.

“My mum kept saying, ‘We haven’t had pictures taken like these in twenty years!’” he laughs. “She didn’t entirely understand the concept, but she loved being part of it. Burman kept telling her she looked beautiful every five minutes—it was priceless.”

Choksi’s decision to bring his family into such an unorthodox campaign wasn’t just aesthetic—it was personal. “I grew up watching karigars make mangalsutras and traditional sets. Even when I pivoted to edgy design, that legacy stayed with me. India is about family. So is hip-hop. That’s exactly where the connection lies, I think.”

Not for Everyone, And That’s The Point

Grillz still sit on the fringe of mainstream Indian fashion. In the early days, Choksi was turned down by dentists, ignored by manufacturers, and met with more scepticism than support. But cultural shifts are underway.

“Gen Z and younger millennials are much more open to self-expression through fashion and jewellery. Grillz might not be for everyone, but they’ll always spark curiosity.” Even customers can feel the polarity.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Frostbite (@frostbite.lab)

Leonardo Montes, who owns a set, said, “I usually dress quite formal, and the grillz stood out—that’s what I liked. It felt punk.” While his cousin found them “super weird,” and friends’ girlfriends thought something was stuck to his teeth, others, especially younger colleagues, were into it. “Most were surprised—in a good way.”

It’s this blend of disruption and dialogue that Choksi leans into. He’s not interested in chasing trends. He’s interested in starting conversations.

The Balance Between Rebellion And Roots

If Frostbite Lab has a signature, it’s the constant tension between modernity and tradition. That duality reflects Choksi’s own life. “I come from a family with a jewellery background. But I also DJ. I’ve been part of Bombay’s creative scene for years. The meeting of these contradictory worlds—that’s where the magic is.”

His work doesn’t just challenge visual norms; it taps into deeper emotional layers. “A lot of what we make now is rooted in things I used to feel insecure about—being Gujarati, being Indian. While living in America, I tried to distance myself from that. But the more I leaned into who I really am, the more confident I became.”

This introspection has made jewellery the perfect storytelling medium. “It’s tangible. It’s precious. It gets passed down. Jewellery outlives the trend—it becomes a memory.”

So, What’s Next?

Choksi isn’t trying to build an empire overnight. His focus is on community, collaborating with artists, stylists, and musicians to build something bigger than just a brand. “We’ve received so much love from South Asians globally. Now we want to take that to cities like London, LA, and New York.”

But the heart of it won’t change. “Wherever we go, it’ll still be about culture, story, India—and creating something that means more than just how it looks.”

Because sometimes, it’s the grin that says the most.