Queen Of The ‘Kaleeras'

From chairs to marigolds, math and candy, Mrinalini chandra finds inspiration from a variety of objects, but what makes each of her jewellery standout is her special ability to make them offbeat and interesting observes Vijetha Rangabashyam

- Vijetha Rangabashyam

It takes a lot of courage to improvise on something that is very traditional and holds a lot of meaning. This was exactly Mrinalini Chandra’s claim to fame – she took the humble Kaleeras and gave it an allnew meaning, by making it more personal, quirky and modern, while retaining its oldworld charm. Mrinalini is not in the jewellery business to make ordinary things, she is here to make extraordinary things out of something you wouldn’t even care to look more than once. The mundane chair for instance; who would’ve thought a chair can be celebrated in so many ways? Her ‘Please have a Seat’ collection which was launched in 2014 is still a cult. Her fresh take on designs and playful approach to jewellery has won her many celebrity audiences like Sonam Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. “I never wanted to be a traditional jewellery designer and I did not do any typical jewellery course. I did fashion and lifestyle accessories at NIFT and I specialized in high jewellery and accessories in Milan. My entire passion towards jewellery comes from my journey which has been very off-beat.”