In ancient history, people wore jewellery made out of animal skin, bones, wood and feathers. But as metal became popular the exploration in accessories shifted from materials towards forms, which is also continued today. The focus on materials was initially in an epoch where we as a species were just beginning to discover civilization, while grasping concepts like self-expression through adornment.
Centuries later, the idea of personal style has once again been intersected with the materiality in a major way: this time in the context of the Anthropocene and the climate crisis. As ethical and environmental responsibility become part of our personal ethos, our means of self-expression are changing, not just out of duty but also through our changing perceptions of beauty.
We seek novelty in differentiating our identities from those before us. Although gems and metals will never go out of style because they're timeless and well, pretty, there's also a quiet movement rooted in the eccentricities of trying unusual or alternative materials. Here are some homegrown brands that do it best:
Ithé, meaning 'here' in Marathi, is a love letter to Konkan, the breathtaking coastal region in Maharashtra where Anuja, the brand's creative director spent countless childhood days visiting her family’s home. Anuja created Ithé as a way to honor her ancestral land and its disappearing culture and biodiversity. Teaming up with her brother Varun, they set up a studio in their family’s old factory transforming it into a ceramic studio where they craft beautiful, hand-sculpted porcelain jewelry that in both form and materials replicate the gentleness of flowers.
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Aditi Sharma spent 7 years as an interior designer. Working closely with concrete, she was fascinated by its fluidity and malleability. Her work also allowed her to experiment with architectural materials, textures, colors, bold geometric shapes and clean lines, that can now be seen in Greytone's jewellery. The neutral colour tone of the concrete are paired with brushed brass and stainless steel creating stunning material contrasts. Greytone's earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings and anklets are minimalist yet make a statement.
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As a kid, Devi Chand would make baubles and little gift boxes out of candy wrappers for her christmas tree. After her degree at NIFT the same calling for paper crafts made her give up the corporate design world and start Papermelon that she runs from her Bangalore home studio instead. Made from upcycled paper, the brand offers exciting jewellery and decor in vibrant colours and imaginative shapes that are highly dopamine-inducing.
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With her maternal roots in design and garment making, Supriya Shirsat Satam grew up amidst fabrics and sewing machines where she picked up the nuances of handcrafted design. Her landscape paintings brought her closer to nature and eventually inspired her to create FOReT, a PETA-approved vegan brand that creates stylish products from plant-based materials like cork, plant leather and banana bark. Combined with metals and ceramics, these materials create elegant and eccentric jewellery that is bohemian not just in aesthetics but also philosophy.
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If you enjoyed reading this, here's more from Homegrown:
Ugly Cupid’s Genderless Jewellery Blends Cybersigilism With Folklore & Sci-Fi Motifs
Homegrown Jewellery Label Neti Neti Pays Homage To Nature Using Drift & Ebony Wood
Alighieri Is A Diasporic South Asian Jewellery Brand Inspired By Dante's Inferno