PROFILE
PALLAVI DUDEJA FOLEY
gem of a designer Photo credit: Tanishq
Innovation’s the name of the game and the end pieces are often masterpieces of exquisite design. In this rarified world, Pallavi Dudeja Foley’s first couture collection for Tanishq called Zoya created waves, followed by the designing of the three Ponds Miss India crowns, which established her credentials firmly. Pallavi ‘s work will endure as highend bespoke jewellery is her métier
INDIRA LAUL THERE’S A new wave that is quietly but surely changing the concept of jewellery design. It’s called handcrafted custom jewellery. It pushes the envelope where design is concerned, mixing and matching diamonds, rare rubies, sapphires, emeralds and pearls with precious metals, while consistently striving to improve upon the ways in which the gemstones are cut and set. Innovation’s the name of the game and
the end pieces are often masterpieces of exquisite design which are seen not only as adornments but as investments, to be treasured through generations. Pallavi Dudeja Foley best exemplifies the world of high-end bespoke jewellery, a world of exceptional craftsmanship that is identified by unique artistry and demanding standards. Every piece of jewellery designed by Pallavi bears her exclusive stamp; is set to drape you with its splendour and complement you to perfection. You need to study the intricate details of the piece or its visual in order to appreciate it fully. Take The Odyssey, for instance. This finely detailed and flawless piece of neckwear sports 4908 diamonds in a variety of cuts, shapes, sizes and colours. It uses black diamonds so that the contrast between the two sides of the necklace stands out. By Pallavi’s own admission, each one of her pieces has a story to tell, one that is meaningful and stimulating. And so, The Odyssey, with its setting in 18 karat gold, is an expression of the journey of man and his travails, and how he emerges bright and triumphant, just like the diamond. It was shortlisted amongst 11 national awardwinning entries and was selected for the Diamonds 2004 Vivaha Collection.
Seam, another inspired piece, is a splendid asymmetric pendant that uses exotic baroque pearls set in fine gold mesh. The pearls are held naturally between the mesh and delicate wires and Baguette diamonds are channel set intricately into thin grooves in the wire frame. Seam was motivated by the energy that is released when a fabric tears and the pendant expresses this with its vitality and fluidity of motion. As the name suggests, Frost takes a leaf from Nature and depicts this phenomenon in a uniquely beautiful fashion. In this necklace, the diamonds are set on white gold and are randomly strewn over the pearls to look like frost. This labour-intensive piece took three months to complete, since every unit is different in style and it is all hand-crafted. Kudos to the creator for such minute details as the interspersing of yellow gold at places, which depicts the latent heat present in frost. Pallavi learnt her craft initially at The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), New Delhi, where she specialised in Accessory Design. Thereafter, she added to her repertoire of jewellery expertise from the Domus Academy in Milan, Italy, and GIA (Gemological Institute of America).
Photo credit: Titan Watches
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INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN IS THE ULTIMATE LUXURY
August 2009 | www.lifestyleliving.in
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PROFILE
PALLAVI DUDEJA FOLEY
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Lifestyle Living spoke with the intrepid designer for fundamental views on her craft and the latest trends on couture jewellery. LL: What would you say is the USP of your brand? PDF: The USP of my brand, Pallavi Foley, lies in its design philosophy, which pushes the limits of design. Every piece is highly distinctive and has an intrinsic story to tell. Design is a way of life for me. Every experience of my life is somehow reflected in the jewellery I design. I believe that design is a very powerful tool, which can make a huge difference to a brand image and its business proposition. Also, while I believe in innovation, I also explore the old techniques in my designs. Most of my collections are theme-oriented and connect with the customer in many ways. LL: What are the new innovations the market can expect from your brand? PDF: With the increasing gold prices, I believe it is best to work with gold as an ‘accent’ (as a highlight). I am currently designing a few collections with a mix of non-precious and precious materials. I think an eclectic mix of large coloured stone beads, enamel, wood or silver for the base material, with accents of gold and diamonds, makes the piece interesting. Wooden cuffs are a rage today with the fashionistas, globally. I recently designed a cuff in silver called Love Nest, with the love birds made of gold. LL: How do you target your elite clientele? PDF: Well, it’s just word of mouth. LL: How do you see the jewellery trends for 2009-2010? PDF: The fashion trend today is to mix-and-match and create your own personal fashion trends. My personal recommendations for the season would be to experiment with new materials like wood and polymers, wear cuffs to make a bold statement, add a feminine touch with bottomheavy ear drops, work towards modernising old techniques, wear silver (it’s the new gold). Layered chains and necklaces are in vogue, bold engagement rings and intricate detailing are on the cards. LL: Your favourite piece amongst your collection? PDF: I designed a necklace called The Indian Street, which was selected as a trend piece by DTC (Diamond Trading Company). The necklace showcases the trend of using charms to tell a story. It is inspired from an Indian street and has an eclectic look. LL: What challenges do you face in the marketplace? PDF: I am currently looking for an angel investor so that I can expand the scope of my business. The single large challenge today would be to scale-up as soon as possible. LL: Who do you see as your competitors in India? PDF: In my opinion, if you have a unique design philosophy and a distinctive design language, you establish your own niche and that is what is most important. LL: What do you do to chill out? PDF: I paint, read and travel. I love to spend time with my daughter Nia. LL: Your favourite destination in India and abroad? PDF: Las Vegas.
INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN IS THE ULTIMATE LUXURY
As a student of Accessory Design at NIFT, Delhi, Pallavi did her final graduation project with Tanishq. Subsequently, she joined the prestigious company as their jewellery designer and designed many award-winning and highly successful collections for Tanishq India. Her first couture collection for Tanishq was called Zoya and was launched in Delhi in 2003. Pallavi’s crowning glory can be pinned down to three masterpieces of innovative design— the crowns for the Ponds Femina Miss India contest. Pallavi chose to depart from the conventional designs for crowns with unconventional forms and structures, yet remain sensitive enough to understand that her creations had to be acceptable to a large section of people. The crowns were rich in design, elegant and comfortable. The Ponds Femina Miss India Universe crown remains a winner. Weighing 450 g, it is embedded with 2000 stones and was inspired by the cosmic world, with its planets and comets. The lower end of the crown is set with round brilliants and Baguette diamonds, depicting the revolving planets. The lowest circle is set with trillions, which are special triangular stones in an intricate setting. Delicate strands of crystals are meant to depict shooting comets. A large red stone is set slightly on the side, representing the symbolic tikka as well as the
energy of the stars. The single stone is balanced by an awesome star-burst on the other side. Form and function combine with colour for a uniquely spellbinding effect. Pallavi explains that designing the crowns has been an elevating experience. She laboured extensively at first, researching the various crowns and tiaras of the world and realised that
HIGHLIGHTS IN PALLAVI’S CAREER Winner of the Bright Sparks Diamond Jewellery Design Competition in 2000 organised by De Beers (while a student at NIFT). First prize at the Indian Gurlz Diamond Jewellery Design Competition in 2001, for designing a unique fashion jewellery accessory. Selected amongst the 100 international finalists for the Gold Virtuosi 2002, for designing an ensemble inspired by animal fur. Selected as a Young Achiever by MTV in 2003. Winner of the Unidesign/DTC Design-a-Dream Contest 2003 in the professional category. Winner of the Swarovski Elle Décor Design Award 2003, for innovative use of crystals in lighting design for a chandelier entitled Web Light. Third prize in the international Titanium Design Competition 2004, for a necklace which uses many colours of titanium, titled The Chameleon. Selected as part of the DTC-Indian collection called Diamonds 2004, for Odyssey – a necklace wrapped from the neck to the shoulder, using black and white diamonds to bring out the contrast in the best possible way. Selected among the 32 finalists in the world for an Italian jewellery design competition, Gold Sign, organised by Vogue magazine. Business World/NID Design Excellence Awards 2004 for Best Accessory Design (Jewellery) for the Aamra collection.
August 2009 | www.lifestyleliving.in
she had to infuse an Indianness into the design concept for it to be truly original. Hence, the idea of the tikka or the forehead drop in the crown was born; other ideas were inherent in the title itself-thus, Miss India Earth inspired the stylised peacock of the crown and the blue and green colours as well. The articulate and savvy designer says what inspires her is a constant awareness and sensibility to her environs. It is this that provides her with her concepts and perceptions. Her design experience with Tanishq has been enlightening and refreshing. While it has been a learning experience, it hasn’t curbed her spontaneity, which is the essence of all creativity. And it gives her supreme joy when she encounters people wearing one of her designs because, in a sense, she’s touching their lives. Other innovative designs include two premium watches for Titan’s Crown collection, which use black and white diamonds set in white gold, with mother of pearl dials. The watch has been christened The Starlight, as it depicts the night.
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