From Money Clips To Drunk 'Toads': Hype's Jewellery Embraces Personal Identity

A word as succinct as Hype can mean so much. While it may not have been a part of our everyday vocabulary a couple of decades ago, its modern resonance is undeniable. Being a hype person is something I wear like a badge of honour. I can make people see their truest, best selves. The jewellery brand Hype aspires to do the same as well. One-of-a-kind pieces that are personalised to the last silver jump-ring is what Parshava Doshi, the 22-year-old enterprising founder/designer loves to do through his label. After all, his foray from being an aspiring musician to becoming a jeweller - a family business he never thought he’d turn to - all started by retrofitting his mother’s tennis bracelet, and then making custom pieces for his other loved ones. 

The Origin Story

Hype’s story is rooted in a legacy spanning three generations. Parshava’s grandfather, originally a teacher in Navsari, Gujarat, pivoted to diamond manufacturing after recognizing the industry’s potential. Over time, the family transitioned from manufacturing to financing and eventually to jewellery design, thanks to Parshava’s father’s entrepreneurial spirit. However, Parshava’s foray into the family business wasn’t preordained.

“After 10th grade, I joined the True School of Music in Bombay,” he recalls. “Coming from a Gujarati business family, my parents were hesitant. But they supported my passion.” The COVID-19 lockdown, however, changed everything. With classes shifting online, Parshava found himself questioning his path. “Seeing gemstones and jewellery at home made me realize how much I loved this space,” he shares. This epiphany marked the beginning of his journey with Hype.

While he knows the privilege his familial history with jewellery gave him, Parshava’s entry into the jewellery industry wasn’t glamorous. His father and grandfather learnt the craft and business from the ground up, and his father was going to make sure things weren’t all that different for Parshava. “My dad connected me to a small workspace in Zaveri Bazaar to learn the craft,” he says. This hands-on experience not only honed his skills but also instilled a deep appreciation for the craft. “I worked in a 200-square-foot space with no air conditioning, learning everything from making a ring by hand to designing on Rhino software,” he says. Those six months with traditional Bengali craftsmen, known as Babus, grounded him in the realities of the trade.

His first creation - the redesigned tennis bracelet for his mother - was a revelation. Made from silver, a material he could afford, the piece drew admiration from family and friends. Encouraged by their response, Parshava began taking custom orders. “I started posting on Instagram, and within weeks, I got 10 orders,” he recalls. By 2021, Hype had an official Instagram page, and the brand began to take shape. But he shares, "Initially, it was tough. I paused the business for a while to learn more about diamonds and fine jewelry. When I restarted in 2023, I was determined to scale. I used the money I made to build a website and invested in better marketing."

What sets Hype apart is its focus on bespoke designs. From gemstone crosses to personalized money holders, every piece is a reflection of the client’s individuality. One standout project involved creating a paper clip money holder engraved with “Paper” on one side and the client’s initials, MM, on the other. Another memorable design featured the Arsenal gun motif, crafted for a die-hard fan. But from their off-the-rack collection, the drunk toad and the baked toad, inspired by the game Mario that most of us knew and grew up loving, have continued to be a crowd-favorite, according to Parshava.

The off-the-rack jewellery available from Hype is crafted in silver and usually set with Swarovski/American Diamonds or Gemstones, but they do a lot more when the pieces are commissioned custom designs. Ultimately for him, the essence of Hype lies in collaboration and storytelling. “When someone comes to me with an idea, I want to have the infrastructure to make it happen,” he explains. His openness to learning and evolving has been central to the brand’s ethos. Whether it’s resetting family heirlooms or crafting one-of-a-kind pieces, Parshava approaches each project with a commitment to quality and creativity.

The Road Ahead

He attributes much of Hype’s success to word-of-mouth marketing and meaningful collaborations. Parshava’s first pop-up at Homegrown Festival event was a game-changer, introducing him to a community of creatives who valued his unique approach. “I met a lot of interesting, truly inspiring people at the pop-up, which helped me shift from generic designs to unique, custom pieces,” he says. Unlike traditional brands, Hype doesn’t adhere to a rigid ideology. For Parshava, the brand is about connections and exploration. “When someone comes to me with an idea, I want to have the infrastructure to make it happen,” he explains. This approach has resonated with clients seeking exclusivity and personalization in an oversaturated market. 

Scaling a jewellery brand comes with its challenges, especially when staying true to the craft is a priority. Parshava has resisted the lure of mass production and investor-driven demands, focusing instead on creating deeply personal pieces. “The profits and money are byproducts of the relationships I build,” he emphasizes. But he has expanded the brand to have a presence in the retail space Project Tête-À-Tête (PTAT) and is slowly but surely considering other retail spaces where they won’t have to distill the essence of ‘Hype’ for market demands. 

At just 22, Parshava is acutely aware of the learning curve ahead. “I’m still growing, and the people I meet often teach me more than anything else,” he says. This clarity of thought, combined with his passion for meaningful connections, is what fuels Hype’s growth. Whether it’s through custom orders or collaborations, the brand is steadily carving a niche in the world of contemporary jewellery. Parshava also let me in on the fact that he is working on building another brand called 'Diamond Valley', which works with unmined (lab-grown) diamonds and mined gemstones, and with more traditional offerings, to cater to a wider market. 

Hype’s journey is a testament to the power of reinvention — of traditions, materials, and personal paths. As Parshava continues to explore the possibilities within jewellery design, one thing is clear: Hype isn’t just a brand for its founder; it’s the beginning of his life’s work, one unique piece at a time.

You can follow Hype here.

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