Minu Marie Mathew is a traveller and her travels are as much about exploring new places as it is about exploring new facets of art. The petite 30-year-old runs ART-ery, an online jewellery and accessories store.
Minu’s line is: “Express your inner self with a piece of art and celebrate the woman in you.” And helping you do that is a range of expressions in the shape of earrings, ear studs, necklaces, anklets, arm cuffs, bangles, hair accessories, scarves, clutches and the like at ART-ery, which went online in June last year.
So, what’s the story behind ‘ART-ery’? “The words fashion and style are often misunderstood as qualities possessed by people who buy designer labels or read high-end magazines. That isn’t what ART-ery is trying to provide. We think your inner self is beautiful, stylish and fashionable and we are here to help you find that inner self. There’s fashion in your blood, fashion in your arteries. And that is the message behind the name ART-ery,” says Minu, a native of the capital city.
The journey towards ART-ery started from her college days. While others of her age opted to become doctors and engineers, Minu upped her style quotient. She did her graduation in fashion technology from Assumption College, Changanassery. “That was when Fabindia was opening in the city and I was a merchandiser for the store for some time,” says Minu, a post graduate in fashion merchandising from Pearl Academy, Chennai. A stint at Esprit in Bengaluru as associate store manager was followed by an assignment at Luxxe Box, an international multi-brand store in Chennai, for four years.
After a point Minu decided to take a break and come home to Thiruvananthapuram. “I had not lived in the city for 10 years. My parents felt that I needed a break. It is then that I thought about starting something on my own. But I had neither a family background in business nor a god father. All that I had was my experience in premium and luxury retail with various brands. So for nearly four months I worked on the business plan. I was sure that I wanted to base it in the city because life is moderately-paced here. My mantra is ‘One size that fits all’ and that can’t be applied to dress or footwear and so we don’t have them in the collection,” she says.
She took one step at a time and started with 300 pieces. Friends and family were her first customers and buoyed by the response she went for the second buy. And she didn’t have to look back after that.
Each piece that Minu sells under her brand is a statement piece. Hand-crafted and curated neck pieces, including long statement chains, are custom-made pieces or sourced from wholesale suppliers during her travels
Light-weight ear studs in animal shapes, belly button studs, danglers, threaded earrings, metallic or silver/gold plated arm cuffs, scarves in soothing colours, stylish finger rings, colourful headbands and elegant clutches promise to give a fashion lift.
While the studs are priced at Rs. 250, earrings cost Rs. 350 and up. Necklaces begin at Rs. 500 and clutches at Rs. 1,500.
Any plans to set shop? “Not now. I am a nomad. If you open a store that is not possible. It is during my travels that I pick up stuff for ART-ery,” she says.
An avid blogger as well, Minu signs off saying, “Our role is not to fix the way a woman looks or make her appear better. We simply want to provide a way for a woman to express herself better, like punctuations in a paragraph.” Contact: 8592859544
Check out www.facebook.com/ShopARTery
