Snakes and Chillies have something in common for me. I’m not a fan of either in real life; I’m terrified of the latter and have a famously low spice tolerance. But the aesthetic appeal of these though, is something I can’t help but admire. In turn, their visual depiction in art, especially in wearable form, is something I can’t get enough of. When I encountered the latest collection and campaign from the homegrown label Amama Jewels for Valentine’s Day titled ‘I Chilli U’, I found myself downright obsessed.
Forget the Cartier Juste un Clou (aka the nail bracelet), I’ll take the Chilli bracelet any day as a proud homegrown jewellery fiend. The concept from Amama Jewel’s founder Nikita Gupta, was envisioned to be a way to invite jewellery enthusiasts to embrace love in its spicy glory for Valentine’s Day; from the gold Tabasco Handcuff to the bright red Paprika earring made from Brass Alloy and coated 22kt micron gold, they are deceptively similar to real chillies, and makes a hell of a statement.
When asked about her decision to make the idea of heating up romance as the concept for their collection, she said that it came from a feeling of wanting to drift away from the usual hearts and roses narrative and create something bold and playful which is how the idea of Chilli motif was born. She went on to say, “A little spice makes everything just better, and the chilli is such a powerful symbol—it’s fiery, full of passion, and unapologetically desi. I Chilli U is our way of celebrating love the way we know it—fun, bold, and with just the right amount of spice!”
The accompanying campaign, styled by the brand’s designer Raghav Agarwal (@worldofhnir) and expertly photographed by Umang Kapoor(@umangkapoorphotography) and featuring the standout homegrown model Roshni Sharma (@roshoflove) was befittingly unique, and dare we say, spicy? I mean, it’s not every day that someone like me who runs at the sight of chilli, finds a short clip of chilli being cut to be downright sexy. From statment earrings in red and green stacked, to a play on the iconic Devil Wears Prada movie poster with an inspired recreation with the I Chilli U pieces, the brand has evidently taken a playful approach to the collection campaign and the novelty does shine through.
Of the many facets of the collection and campaign, I was keen to understand how they developed, and for Nikita, the best part about the I Chilli U collection and campaign was how they grew together. In her words, “It was like a conversation between design and storytelling; As we played with the chilli motif - its curves, its boldness, its symbolism—it naturally sparked ideas for how we wanted to bring it to life visually. We wanted every element to feel cheeky and fresh, whether it was how the jewellery played with form or how the campaign visuals brought out that fieriness.”
While I was instantly drawn to the statement pieces and their uniqueness, the understated elegance of the more minimal pieces from the collection such as the Just Chillin' Pendant, and the Tabasco ring seemed like more practical pieces I would find myself wearing in real life. When asked about how the concept of I Chilli U came about and the design language that they have chosen to portray the same, Nikita talked about how the collection was born from the idea of celebrating love in a way that’s playful, bold, and uniquely desi.
“We wanted to move beyond traditional Valentine’s Day symbols and create something that feels fresh, unexpected, and full of personality. And what better way to do that than with the mighty mirchi?”Nikita Gupta, Founder, Amama Jewels
Suffice it to say, Amama has created the I Chilli U collection with something for every jewellery enthusiast - from minimal pieces that can be stacked to showstoppers that can elevate the simplest of outfits. According to her, This collection has been one of the most exciting projects she has worked on, and that is saying something considering their last campaign Basraa captured a lot of hearts and turned many into Amama fans. But for Nikita, this campaign allowed the Amama team to have fun with both design and storytelling. She felt that playing with desi quirks and launching it in the season of hearts and love makes it stand out. But in summing up, she went on to say, “ This collection isn’t just for Valentines—it’s for anyone who loves to make a statement every day. And for an audience like Homegrown India that celebrates all things original and rooted in culture, we believe this collection will resonate because it’s not about blending in - it’s about standing out and owning your spice!”
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