Born to Adorn

‘Aaraa by Avantika’ is jewelry and accessory designer Avantika Kumar Agrawal’s way of making a mark in a field dominated by traditional family-run businesses

From engineering to jewelry design – how did that come about?

AA: My design journey has always been a very intuitive one at a subconscious level. As a teenager I used to plunder my mother’s sewing box and supplies, gather other small objects from home and make handmade jewelry and accessories, some of which I sold to small boutiques in Pune.

I went on to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, but by the time I was in my fourth year I had realized that my passion lay in something more creative and esthetically inspired. With quite a bit of persuasion from my father, and then boyfriend now-husband Dhruv, I went on to apply for my Post Graduation in Design from National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad in 2008. This is how I entered the world of real design and worked towards understanding and discovering my passion towards it.

While pursuing Lifestyle Accessory Design at NID, I never thought of specializing in jewelry design. During my second year I sent my entry for India International Jewelry Week 2010 (IIJW) and was selected. I designed a collection that presented jewelry in a new light altogether. I crocheted textile material to produce voluminous structures that went on to become opulent and avant-garde jewelry. I got the opportunity to showcase my work in front of the entire Indian jewelry and fashion fraternity and received rave reviews. It was then that I decided to specialize as a jewelry designer and went on to intern and work with Jaipur-based Amrapali Jewels, one of the most prestigious jewelry houses in India.

What was working with Amrapali like?