Diamonds shimmered under elegant lighting as House of Rose, founded by Biren Vaidya, hosted a two-day luxury jewellery pop-up at ITC Kohenur, Madhapur, bringing its exclusive creations to Hyderabad. Adding glamour to the showcase was actress Lakshmi Manchu, who has been associated with the brand for over a decade. More than simply presenting the collection, she spoke passionately about her love for fine jewellery, craftsmanship and why she believes adornment is an expression of individuality.
For Lakshmi, House of Rose represents a fresh perspective on Indian jewellery. “I have been buying jewellery for over 15 years from House of Rose and they have always wanted to come to Hyderabad for a long time. We have such a culture of owning gold. When I discovered House of Rose, I realised that Indian jewellery can be designed in this way as well. I was excited to have found an Indian designer jeweller with such exquisite gems,” she says.
The showcase offered a glimpse into the label’s diverse design philosophy. Unlike most luxury jewellers that focus on a handful of collections, House of Rose has 15 distinct lines. “They have fine jewellery, art deco, treasures, asset class and many more. They not only make jewellery but also create shawls and vegan china. Usually bone china contains bone ash, but this is vegan china that is exquisitely made,” she adds.
Lakshmi also points to the founder’s collaborations with renowned international watchmakers, emphasising the importance of celebrating Indian craftsmanship. “We get attracted to luxury from outside our country, but we don’t own our own things. We have jewellery inspired by the architecture of our temples. We lost the tradition of wearing jewellery every day, so I thought, why not get them here? I am not bringing just another jeweller, I am really introducing Hyderabad. Each piece has gemstones like tanzanites and rubies placed with diamonds. To have the freedom to create something like that is extraordinary,” the actress shares.
She explains that every creation begins with sourcing rough gemstones directly from their origin. “Most of the treasures are one of a kind. They go to the source of the stone, choose the rough and then design around it. You get to see where it came from and how it was cut. I love stories like these rather than pouring gold into a mould and selling it to a thousand stores,” she explains.
Her own jewellery style is equally expressive. “I love stackables and I like layering. I can never decide that only this piece is enough, but I love jewellery a lot,” she says, adding that she often wears real jewellery even for television shoots because of her appreciation for exceptional craftsmanship.
Minimalism, however, is one trend she happily ignores. “I don’t believe in minimalism. I want to be a peacock and dance around. I am tired of people telling me to be less. I want to be more and beyond,” she says with a laugh.
That philosophy extends to fashion as well. Draped in a saree she wore at her brother Vishnu Manchu’s wedding in 2009, Lakshmi shares, “There are some clothes which I wear once and give away, but there are a few that I just love, and this is one of them. I will give this saree to my daughter Vidya Nirvana. You have to feel something special when you are wearing anything. If I don’t feel good about clothes, I won’t buy them at all.”