The sun glinting on the silver first caught the eye at the recent Gourmet Bazaar and the tiny fish and owl earrings had me hooked. As the obliging person behind the Mirror White counter pulled out the stops to show off her wares, I was beginning to worry for my wallet. Tentatively, I asked for the price of a smoky topaz danglers. ₹1000, was the answer. The girl laughed at my surprised look. “None of these is very expensive,” she explained.
Enamel work on earrings
Something Bengaluru-based Roshni Hinduja, the owner of Mirror White, also underlines. Speaking over a phone call, the 32 year old explains that, despite coming from a family of jewellers, gold and diamond pieces are not really her thing. “I prefer to spend on experiences. But there are people who enjoy jewellery and like to change their earrings every day… but not all can afford fine jewellery. Also given the amount of travel we do today, it’s not safe to be carrying those around. That’s when I thought of getting into this line.” Her line is mostly silver — “a precious metal, not artificial, and will definitely not burn a hole in your pocket.”
Dainty filigree fish
The other point that Roshni emphasises is that the Mirror White range is entirely handcrafted. “Today we have machine-made silver jewellery and endless designs but I was very clear that every piece I retail would be made by hand. Each piece is exclusive and is difficult to replicate given how much work goes into it.” She works with silversmiths and artisans in Jaipur and also has tie ups with traditional craftsmen in Thailand. “The latter are very different from what we see in India.”
Five years ago, when Roshni began retailing, her products were available only online. “Well that market was picking up then,” she says, adding that she now has a physical presence in Coimbatore as well. “I thought it would be nice if people could see the actual pieces and so I took a small section at my parents’ store in RS Puram.”
A silver bracelet
Ask if the family business influenced her entry and she laughs. “I wanted to showcase some unique handmade products and was actually looking at bags and clutches. While I was doing my research, I realised that getting into silver jewellery was a good idea. I had the basic understanding, thanks to my family and that makes a difference.”
Apart from the artisans, she also works with freelance designers. “I am not a designer but I come up with a concept and then we work on items around that, brainstorming on colour options and whether we need to gold-plate specific ones. There is a lot of back and forth before we close on the final design.”
Finally I ask about how she came up with the name. “Mirror White was actually meant for a range of diamond jewellery,” she says sheepishly. “Since it had been registered and fitted my silver range, I just went it with it.”
The Mirror White range is available online at https://www.mirrorwhite.in/ and also at the Zaveri Bros store at 23, East Periasamy Road RS Puram
