Letting go of control has been one of the most creatively satisfying experiences for 38-year-old
Rahul and his 39-year-old partner, Roshni Jhaveri, founders of Studio Renn,a fine jewellery house
in Mumbai. “In the process, we have seen unexpected results—those that defy our false idea of perfection,” says Rahul, who spoke with us from New York, where he is showcasing 45 designs this month from a collection called [Prime]al,at the legendary Bergdorf Goodman on Fifth Avenue. Scuttling between meetings, client interactions and the exhibition, Rahul has his hands full, but is enjoying the attention his studio is receiving on the world stage.
For a young brand, founded in 2018, to have made it to an international platform such as this is telling of how a new guard of Indian designers is making the cut abroad. “The honour to represent our country at the cult store came as a consequence of the recognition we received after two consecutive showings at the Couture Las Vegas Show. In 2021, we were awarded Best in Innovation for our concrete ‘Strangler’ ring, and the next year, we were runners-up for the Editor’s Choice award for our Puffball Voids collection,” says Roshni.
And the icing on the cake? Being picked as the ‘Best Hidden Gem’ at the prestigious Wallpaper* Design Awards this January. Something the couple is extremely proud of, and rightfully so, considering that Rahul, who heads the creative team, is a self-taught designer.
He conceptualises the pieces,the design team translates them into technical drawings, which their artisans then bring to life. Both him and Roshni are business majors from another American icon––Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. While Rahul worked in the family business of diamond manufacturing before starting the studio, Roshni worked as a strategy and marketing consultant for nearly a decade, something she continues to do at Studio Renn as well.
Back at Bergdorf, [Prime]al is more than just a collection of fine jewellery, Rahul says. “It is built on the premise that abstraction is the most instinctive reaction to the world around us. Every piece expresses the complexity and importance of ideas of protection, myths of creation and perceptions of time and space. Simple forms in gold, diamonds and gemstones have been used to convey these ideas,” he adds.
Like the seed-leaf earrings represented both in abstract seed and leaf form, which is also one of the most challenging pieces. The angles of the diamonds are inch-perfect to reflect the high-gloss gold. In addition to that, achieving the mirror-polish surface on gold takes an incredible amount of skill and patience. In the end, the earrings in 18k rose gold and diamonds, amalgamate the seed and leaf elements to symbolise fertility, immaculately.
Another highlight is the Cacti collection of earrings inspired by cacti fencing in fields. It’s raw, edgy and unwonted, with diamonds placed deftly within the saw-toothed edges of the product’s frame. The diamonds here symbolise the need to protect what’s precious, while the jagged ridges allow the cactus to offer a protective role.
Fish, on the other hand, comprises bracelets and earrings that articulate the skeletal structure of a fish.
“The precision-cut ribs and spines in symmetrical arrangements delve into precarity, while
also creating volume through their distinct pattern,” says Roshni, who spoke with us
on the phone from Paris, where she is holidaying with her daughter. The line uses
a combination of yellow and white gold and diamonds.
“We follow a more fluid approach and embrace ideas of atrophy and exploration,” says Roshni, adding, “As a contemporary practice, we design in the now, for the future, and abstraction will remain our best instrument.” Also, the couple is among the few designers in the industry who have been audacious enough to embrace imperfections. Their world is beautifully off-centre and the jewellery they make is the perfect manifestation of “the mess inside our head”.
The future roadmap is to introduce more concepts under [Prime]al, “but for now, there are lots of dinners to catch up on with friends and family and to try out new artisanal coffee shops while in New York”, says Rahul. A lot is stirring in his cup, it seems.