From chairs to marigolds, math and candy, Mrinalini Chandra finds inspiration from a variety of objects, but what makes each of her jewellery standout is her special ability to make them offbeat and interesting observes Vijetha Rangabashyam

It takes a lot of courage to improvise on something that is very traditional and holds a lot of meaning. This was exactly Mrinalini Chandra’s claim to fame – she took the humble Kaleeras and gave it an allnew meaning, by making it more personal, quirky and modern, while retaining its oldworld charm. Mrinalini is not in the jewellery business to make ordinary things, she is here to make extraordinary things out of something you wouldn’t even care to look more than once. The mundane chair for instance; who would’ve thought a chair can be celebrated in so many ways? Her ‘Please have a Seat’ collection which was launched in 2014 is still a cult. Her fresh take on designs and playful approach to jewellery has won her many celebrity audiences like Sonam Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. “I never wanted to be a traditional jewellery designer and I did not do any typical jewellery course. I did fashion and lifestyle accessories at NIFT and I specialized in high jewellery and accessories in Milan. My entire passion towards jewellery comes from my journey which has been very off-beat.”

Mrinalini was exposed to regional art forms at a very young age and since her father was in the services, he would get transferred across the country, to remote and small towns. “The local craft in such towns was thriving. Wherever we lived, my mother would get a piece of jewellery for me. So my wedding jewellery is little things belonging to different craft wherever my parents lived. I have some polki jadau jewellery from Rampur, the jadau technique there is different. I have beautiful gold ornaments from Banaras -- things you normally don’t get these days.” Her inspiration stems from these traditional art forms but what makes her different is her approach, which is rather eccentric in many ways.

Mrinalini’s jewellery is unique and with her creations she encourages people to break the monotony and be experimental. “People of my age want something that they will wear in the future. They don’t want to be as careful as their parents. We don’t want to store jewellery in the locker anymore! So, I find a lot of brides coming to us for something that they can wear more often, even after their wedding is over, for a party or a friend’s birthday.”

Her take on the traditional Kaleera has been a game changer. Brides from all over India want to wear her Kaleeras. “There is a gap in the market for such products. We are completing five years of my journey with Kaleeras and I have done some extremely different ones for extremely brave and funloving brides.” Taking inspiration from ordinary things and making it astonishing has been Mrinalini’s forte. “I like to add a little fun to everything that is happening around me and I am a big fan of cartoon, fashion and movies. In my house, I have lots of plants. If I see a new plant blooming, it really excites me and makes me feel happy. I feel my jewellery should also bring some kind of joy to people who buy it -- some kind of amusement. I want to create something that is not just a piece of adornment. My pieces should ignite conversation.”

The biggest challenge Mrinalini faces is the fact that her jewellery is not precious. Tostones and gold plated silver. “I think fashion jewellery has become more meaningful today. Material-wise, it is completely changed now. The Indian wedding market is massive and you will be surprised how every year, there is a possibility of creating a new product. I don’t know from where the gap arises and how we are able to create something new every time.”

like Mehndi. It also gives brides the possibility of doing a hairstyle which is a bit different from the regular. People making their initials in gold or diamond, in precious material is another big trend we can’t ignore.

There are so many exciting things in the pipeline for Mrinalini. She collaborated with Candy Crush (the game) and came up with a sweet collection that is a riot of colours. “I am looking at collaborating with some more companies. I think customization is something that is becoming very important for us as a brand, also because our USP is creating oneoff pieces. The idea of gifting really works for us. Because there aren’t many people who are doing customized gifting.

More than anything Mrinalini is passionate about craft and encouraging craftsmen around the country is part of her agenda. Every year she picks one craft and collaborates with the artisans. This year, she joined hands with artisans in Hyderabad to create lakh bangles. She has travelled the world, but when it comes to finding inspiration, Mrinalini’s heart lies with India. “The rolling, green hills in the North East or the variety of roses you find in Kashmir are quite something. The greenery and nature in India can’t be found in Europe or anywhere else in the world.”