Ethnic Bling with Modern Twist

It’s not often that you find sisters-in-law making a mark in jewellery designing business together. Radhika Tandon, a former attorney, who lives in California and Bombay-based Gauri Tandon, founded Isharya jewellery in 2007. The brand is sold in 600 stores across the world, through top retailers including Henri Bendel, Saks Fifth Avenue, Stanley Korshak and Galleries Lafayette, etc, and sported by international celebrities like Eva Longoria, Selena Gomez, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cameron Diaz. The duo says that the jewellery, which is being exhibited at Evoluzione, has been inspired from the places that they have visited.

Tell us about the current collection

They are handcrafted with crystal, obsidian, hand-worked mirror, abalone, citrine glass, freshwater pearl combined with intricate gold work, sleek silver rhodium and gold-plated brass. We are showcasing signature pieces from the Croc (inspired by the textures of crocodiles), Deco Mirror, Disco Mirror, Filigree, Hampi (inspired by the ancient city in Karnataka) and Orchid Goddess collections. They are priced from Rs 6,000. The Hampi collection was well-received. We launched it recently in Mumbai with Vogue magazine. From Priyanka Chopra to Maduri Dixit, everybody loved it.

What inspires you both?

We specialise in resin, leather and semiprecious stones, besides using settings in 18 karat gold-plated brass, fused wood with stone, mirror work, turquoise, labradorite, garnet, agate and neon colors. We eye architecturally-inspired costume jewellery. The metal we use doesn’t matter, it is the design, aesthetics and quality that matters. The collection looks great on anyone as it nicely blends with clothes.

How did it all begin?

We started this as a hobby as we felt there was a void in the market. We didn’t take it seriously until we got noticed by the editor of an online US magazine Daily Candy, who wrote about us. The brand combines our children’s names — Ishaan, Armaan and Arya. Our USP is modernity infused with ethnicity.

Any design philosophy?

Innovation! We want to make our brand more International-inclined, but that doesn’t mean we would compromise on our heritage. We have women wearing our pieces with cocktail dress as well as saris.

(The piece was originally written for The New Indian Express)