With pronounced enthusiasm shining through his exuberant demeanour, Sanjay Sharma, VP, Merchandising and Design at Studio Voylla, picks up one kalamkari jewellery piece at a time and shows us its intricacy. It’s good see his excitement about something he has zealously created. Earrings, rings, neck pieces, pendants, maang tikkas and bangles, all created using the distinctive style of kalamkari, dating back centuries.
From designing to casting, from filing the brass metal to buffing, from polishing to enamelling, from beading to embellishing the stone, each step tested his proficiency. Conceptualising is one thing. Seeing the product through its production, is another. It all came together well, he lets us know. “Each piece is a prelude to an unforgettable story of kalamkari, that comes from the Persian word qalam, meaning pen and kari meaning craftsmanship,”says Sharma.
Traditionally, the art form is used by craftsman to draw and paint with a pen, using natural dyes on a cotton fabric. Studio Voylla has time travelled to the heart of this timeless craft, to bring the motifs alive on hand enamelled jewellery.
You’ll find peacocks, fishes, paisley, and elephant in abstract, which have been filled with green, yellow, blue and orange colours. Do check out the season’s trending pieces such as chokers and big stud jhumkis. “These are best worn with long floral chiffon dresses and pastel coloured separates,” Sharma suggests.Get it from: studio.voylla.com; all Voylla stores.