18.05.11 - Eastern Mystic Focus
Following the success of Eastern Mystic Jewellery on Avaa.co.uk the fabulous designer, Sonal Talgeri Bhaskaran, agreed to create a collection exclusively for Avaa customers.
The Eastern Mystic for Avaa collection features an array of stunning pieces, both bold and delicate, bright and neutral, for daytime or evening wear. Each piece is lovingly handmade using gold, silver and semi-precious stones.
So take a look at the exclusive collection, we're sure every woman will find a piece she loves!
Earlier this month we had a chat with Sonal about Eastern Mystic, here is the exclusive interview, especially for our Avaa customers!
Q: What inspires you?
"Anyone that knows me will tell you the only colour I know and wear is black! So the most surprising thing I found is how I love to play with colour in my jewellery, which is the first thing a lot of people comment on. My culture and it's traditions are my biggest influence, it could be from seeing a clash of colours on my mum's and mum-in-laws sarees or outfits I've seen my sister in laws and nieces in which I would have never thought to put together myself, to the blend of coloured powder on rangoli patterns you see during our festivals. I also am in love with the ornateness of traditional Indian jewellery, and am a big fan of tribal ornaments...they can be so dramatic and lethal looking but so beautiful and opulent at the same time".
Q: Why did you start designing Jewellery?
"It wasn't something I had ever set out to do, I fell into it after buying a small strand of gemstones out of curiosity and was hooked. I spent a few months just buying different gemstones and different shapes I would come across. Before I knew it I had amassed a collection of them which took up an entire room in our house but didn't really know what to do with them. I was offered a job at a well known investment bank in the city, and unfortunately my dad suddenly passed away two days into me starting. With the long hours of a new job and trying to come to terms with the biggest loss in my life, I used to come home after work (which was often an 18 hour day) and, probably due to the adrenaline, I couldn't sleep, so would spend most of my time teaching myself to make jewellery with the stones I had collected until the early hours. I took my first few pieces into work and started getting orders from colleagues. So, with the feedback from family and friends, that was my first steps into the jewellery world...! It started out as therapy I guess and has become one of my biggest passions".
Q: Where do you want to see your Jewellery in five years?
"Everyone says they're jewellery is unique, and I'm no different, I love what I make and I make what I would wear myself. I don't think all my designs would appeal to everyone, but the target audience is those who want to stand out from the crowd and see jewellery as an extension of their own personality. The brand is still new and I've seen my style change from when Eastern Mystic first launched a year and a half ago to the collections I have just launched this year. I think looking back, they probably reflect where I was in my life at that time - I'm a lot more at ease with what I make and design now and am having so much fun creating new pieces that people haven't seen anywhere else - I would love people to see my brand as a brand with personality, warmth but with that little dark mysterious edge".
"I am launching another label next year, which will show another side of me, so my focus for the next couple of years will be to establish both brands independently but to share the same ethos of making the wearer see the pieces as an extension of themselves and making them feel more beautiful!"
Q: What are your goals for the next five years?
"I definitely have goals and plans on where I want to see my jewellery in five years time, but I'll keep that under wraps for now!"
Q: Which famous person do you think could wear EMJ well?
"Most of my designs are bold statement pieces, so I wouldn't say it's for the shy and retiring! I think anyone who likes to be noticed and sees jewellery as a way of making their own statement with their own style would wear Eastern Mystic well!"
Thanks Sonal, here at Avaa we can't wait to see the new and exciting designs!