A-listers like Sonam Kapoor and Deepika Padukone sporting a Suhani Pittie creation for international red carpet events no longer come as a surprise. There’s the definite wow factor but beyond that, it’s what we’ve come to expect from the label.
The Hyderabad-based designer wears her credentials lightly. She’s too immersed in her work (she admittedly works 15 to 16 hours Monday to Saturday and eight hours on Sunday. A day off doesn’t figure as a routine) to get giddy on celebrating how far she has come. We can safely state that before Suhani, jewellery was either the gold-diamond traditional or costume/junk. There was no in between.
Celebratory note
In the wake of her new festive line Dakshinam, in which she plays up South Indian traditional elements with a hint of her trademark non-conformism, Suhani remembers one of her early festive collections, “We introduced a collection called ‘Inner city rustic’, where we used ghungroo and the cultural thread, moli . India is so colourful and festive, and naturally, whatever you do with Indian elements end up looking beautiful, happy and celebratory.” She was going against the grain in a market skewed towards precious and semi-precious jewellery. She sensed room for something unique. Her faith in it was vindicated. “The response to my first collection (in 2004) was terrific. India’s biggest stores bought out the work immediately. We were able to create a new genre of jewellery which never existed,” she beams.
Her design ethos is a blend of tradition and modernity. The end product could be a pair of earrings, puja thali , neck piece or even the medal for Hyderabad Marathon (2017). “I think earthy, rustic, Indian, rural and cultural heritage. And then, I think modern, stylish, wearable and practical, and fuse them together. The old and new are charming opposites and we are always thinking local, acting global,” says Suhani. This combination runs through Dakshinam; the pronounced traditional note is intentional.
Tell her that before her, the accessories segment wasn’t this momentous and head turning and she won’t talk about the work as ‘her’ own but mention it as ‘ours’, crediting her kaarigars and administrative and marketing departments. The brand has a factory unit in Hyderabad and two more outside of it.
Suhani often mentions that India is her inspiration: “It’s in my DNA, the very spirit,” she insists. But there’s also a rebellious streak: “I’ve always been a rebel.” The jewellery is a coming together of two worlds, as she puts it, “Silently textured, inclusively cultural, rebellious but totally wearable.”
After showcasing her work at Bridal Asia in 2004, she registered her company a year later. She takes creative responsibility for what comes out of her factory and is also involved in business decisions. “It is crucial to be able to switch from a creative person to a business woman where careful analysis and strategic thinking is needed,” she states. It’s not a one-woman army. The label functions like well-oiled machinery. There are mentors on board and she acknowledges the collective effort. “We have a complete corporate set-up with a separate production unit and different management teams handling B2C, B2B and other departments. We have a long way to go but there is so much good, collective energy that we are sure we will cross the next step soon.”
Constantly innovating
At least 20 to 25 designs are sampled each day. “This is required since our business is operating in multiple channels and directions,” Suhani points out. There are different lines — wedding, corporate and festive gifting among others. The wedding range has jewellery for the bride and bridesmaid, return gifts, wedding gifts, wedding décor and bridal accessories.
In addition, there’s commissioned designing as well as the prêt line on Myntra. Talking to Suhani, one senses an insatiable hunger to do more. “I’m always fighting with myself, never satisfied with my work. I think it’s the end of an entrepreneur’s journey if you are feeling just satisfied,” she says.
From wood to copper, brass to bronze, name it and she seems to have worked with a range of materials. A favourite is the label’s own allergy free version of German silver. Experiments happen everyday, she says. New metals are tested and some are even invented.
Label Suhani Pittie’s buyers range from 17 to 72 and when she sees e-commerce business stats, Suhani is surprised at the different parts of India where orders come from. “It’s almost like a revolution in the mind of a woman; to adorn herself with ornaments that say something,” she says.
What’s brewing?
When she started off, the profession felt like a playground. She was continuously surprising herself. Now, her inspiration is not about herself. It’s about being able to generate employment, expand skill sets among rural women, raise the standard of living of her employees and to make sure they can afford to send their children to school.
She says there are clear one-year, three-year, five-year and 10-year goals. Look out for new developments in November is all that she will say now, “The next four months will see an introduction of numerous product lines, new verticals, more expensive metals and a luxurious feel to everything.”
There’s also a keen interest in renewable energy and the urge to work in areas of employment, education, farmer welfare and administration. She plans to have more semi-skilled women in the work force. “Jewellery making is male dominated; we are trying to include women who can do work that’s not too labour intensive, something like beading and wiring. Employment is the first step.”
Moment of pride: Hyderabad with its mix of old and new has often been her muse. A voracious reader, world events also compel her to initiate a dialogue. She recounts the ‘Nowhere People’ (2016) collection through which she tried to address issues of displacement. “The challenge was to take a topic as painful as that and show jewellery which was distressed, broken and agonising, yet wearable and beautiful. When the show ended on a crescendo, the audience connected to the vulnerability of it all. When they hugged me and cried, I had no words to say. That was one of my greatest moments and my own emotional inspiration.”
