The Gothic and you

Jewellery designer Suman Mishra brings out a collection that is inspired by history and architecture

September 14, 2012 05:42 pm | Updated 05:43 pm IST

Looking beyond nature: Suman Mishra

Looking beyond nature: Suman Mishra

The artist’s world is boundless. It can be found anywhere, as far as the earth is from a shooting star or as near as a few feet away. For jewellery designer Suman Mishra, whose passion ranges from archaeology, astronomy and geology to poetry, gastronomy and music, it does not come as a surprise when her latest collection is inspired by history and architecture.

With Global Goth, the designer tips her hat at Gothic subculture in using black cubic zirconia, giving a somewhat dark and edgy feel to the pieces and adding to the glamour quotient of an already haute collection.

In a telephonic interview, the Delhi-based jewellery designer says: “I spent about three months exploring new ways of embellishing the finger. My concept of rings is very different from the kind that you’d see in the market. There are certain patterns that follow a more conventional path but there are about five statement rings from this collection that are fresh and unique.”

“Contrary to popular belief that Goth only stands for dark or black, its origin can be traced to the Medieval Ages. Gothic architecture caught my fancy. Created in my favourite medium, sterling silver, Global Goth is a collection inspired by Gothic architecture, armour and subculture.”

The lines and structure as seen in this unique offering are reminiscent of architectural lines from the Victorian Gothic period especially those of pointed arches found in cathedrals and churches. Some pieces are inspired by armours, with joint and hinged parts for protective coverage; other pieces are inspired by the armour’s functions of shielding and deflecting.

Delving into the specifics, Suman says: “While the joint and hinged armour rings create a strong statement, there is the more classic domed ring suited for tamer occasions. The double-disc trick finger ring is rather offbeat as it creates the illusion of unattached silver discs simply resting on your hand. Again, the three-plane two-finger ring is an elegant statement piece that prompts a second look. The staple rectangle spiral ring and the concentric rectangles ring both spell potency and style.”

Owing to her growing concern over environmental damage from mining, Mishra uses 100 per cent recycled silver instead of virgin silver in her jewellery.

According to Suman, “This collection is for the non-conventional woman who has a clear sense of herself and of style. The sense of style stems from a sense of identity so if a woman loves glamour, edginess and can appreciate strong concepts in fine jewellery, she can carry off any of these rings with élan.”

Having made her presence felt in the industry with her exquisite collections, Suman feels she’s come a long way. “My interests have changed and I look beyond nature for inspirations but the core person in me will remain the same. As an artist, I explore through this medium of fine jewellery. People like me cannot stagnate because what we do is a functional art and the feeling of having this medium at my disposal is exhilarating.”

Jewellery from Global Goth is priced between Rs 4,692 and Rs 14,071 and you can purchase online from >http://www.smishing. com

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