Whether it is a simple and perfect honeycomb, a blooming flower, the crescent moon, the beautifully delicate cherry blossoms, the first rays of the sun, a falcon in flight, a grand venetian lion or blissful yoga and much more, she is inspired by nature and all things around her. There is something incredibly special about her jewelry designs. Perhaps it is the knowledge that the piece is as unique as you. Whatever the magic, these pieces carry the whispers of the ocean, the warmth of the sun rays, the fluttering of leaves and all things around you, wrapping themselves around your heart. In a sense, it allows the customer to venture into a new world simply by wearing a piece. How does Vinita Michael do it all? Viki Shah finds out.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a Dubai based jewelry designer and gemologist. Originally from India, I have been living in Dubai for about 9 years now with my husband and two boys, 4 and 7.
How did Jewelry design happen?
For as long as I can remember, I had always been creatively inclined. My fascination with jewelry began at a very young age, especially when I was getting trained in Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form from India. The nine jewelry pieces worn by a Bharatanatyam dancer during her act make for a vital element of her costume.
However, it was only much later that I started considering Design as a career option and applied for the bachelor’s in design (B. Des) in 2004 at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) in India, with a specialization in Jewelry and Precious products. I later pursued Gemology from GIA, U.S.A.
Can you tell us about the design sensibility behind VM?
Vinita Michael is a premium jewelry label that aims to address the gap between hi-end luxury jewelry and mass fashion jewelry market. We aim to do this by crafting premium jewelry which showcases innovative, unique, and original designs with intricate craftsmanship, available at accessible prices.
What is the best thing about your work?
I genuinely enjoy the conceptualization and product development stage. It is a very fulfilling experience. But I have to say nothing makes me as happy as seeing my pieces on my clients and the joy they tell me that it brings to them.
Who do you design your jewelry for?
Can you describe the process that goes behind creating a design?
I see my designs as a concoction of intuition and logic. There is a method in all the madness. The first step in the collection development process is a trend forecast.
Based on this study and my experiences from the past which could include inspiring travels or an art practice, the chief inspiration is decided upon. This is followed by the word board and mood board development. After this comes the design ideation stage, where initial sketches/ models are created. After further refinement of designs which consider the stone setting techniques, weight, and dimension of the jewelry piece, the first sample is created.
For me, one of the most important aspects of jewelry is comfort. I believe that when a woman is comfortable, she is effortlessly charming. Therefore, after the sample is created, we try it on to ensure the weight is perfect, it sits right on the body etc. Once these factors are approved, the sample is finalized, and the masterpiece of the design is created.
What inspires you while you create your designs? Because it is an eclectic collection; honeycomb, venetian and African masks…How does that happen?
I am a very visual person and most of my works are inspired by my travels and other works of art I have been fortunate to see. What are the materials and techniques that you use?
We work in 18K gold set with diamonds and precious gems, as well as 925 sterling silver set with crystals from Swarovski.
Backed with jewelry design expertise and a dedicated team of master craftsmen, the brand aims to offer the magnificence of time-honored handcraft techniques complemented with the contemporary manufacturing techniques such as CAD, RPT etc.
How would you describe your jewelry?
Unique yet timeless…
I aim to create pieces which are unique and celebrate the wearer. The pieces are not shy or minimal, and at the same time I try to ensure that they are not overpowering either!
Do you feel that with the new trend of ethical, sustainable jewelry, heirloom pieces are losing their allure?
No, I don’t think heirloom pieces are losing their allure. But I do feel heirloom pieces in future will be crafted with more sustainable practices, which is the right way forward.
Sustainable Jewelry is produced in a way that contributes to achieving the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of the localities where the product’s materials were sourced or mined and processed and where the product itself was manufactured.
For many, the term ‘sustainable jewelry’ is often linked with jewelry made out of recycled, renewable or waste material, but that is just one approach. Heirloom pieces often bring forth the traditional and age old jewel craft techniques which are an intrinsic part of our socio-cultural system. Incorporating sustainable methods of production and wearability is the way forward and heirloom pieces should be produced with sustainability in mind.
How important are sustainable practices to you?
We aim to work only with responsibly sourced materials as well as have fair and sustainable operation practices. Few examples are:
1) Ethical & Conscious design development
2) Our sterling silver line is set with Swarovski crystals which are produced using advanced crystal lead-free formula.
2) Using upcycled metal and stones for sample developments
3) 70% of our bulk production is Made on Order, which further ensures resources are allocated optimally.
Top 5 jewelry trends that currently define the market.
Personalized jewelry, Multipurpose jewelry, Kinetic Jewelry, Charms and symbolic jewelry.
Your favourite creation…
A statement piece I had developed with Amrapali Jewels, Jaipur, India in 2008 for my final graduation project – It was a jewelry box that was composed of four individual jewelry pieces, carved with intricate motifs in repousse’ and chasing. Though it seemed quite an ambitious task to start with and took close to six months from ideation to development, it proved to be a huge success upon completion and landed me my first job 🙂
Filigree, Repousse’, Chasing, Engraving and Etching are some of the many rich metal crafts of the Indian Subcontinent that have encouraged her to experiment with the limitless possibilities in exploring the metallic surface. The bespoke pieces are handcrafted in 925 Sterling Silver and embellished with crystals from Swarovski. Her pieces have adorned Bollywood celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Jacqueline Fernandez, to name a few.
Shop: www.vinitamichael.com