11 October,2011 10:05 AM IST | | Piali Dasgupta
Jewellery designer Queenie Dhody finally embarks on Bangalore with her dazzling collection of jewellery for serious Diwali shoppers
This is as close to celebdom as you can get.
The signature diamond ball earrings that American socialite and hotel heiress Paris Hilton wore on her recent trip to Mumbai are coming to Bangalore today, courtesy ex Miss India and jewellery designer Queenie Dhody.
Queenie, who hosted Hilton and gave her the earrings from her collection, is excited to hold an exhibition of her jewellery in the city for the first time.
What took her so long to visit Bangalore, given that she's toured almost the whole world and Hyderabad and Kolkata in India? "I was told that people here still buy gold and kundan jewellery and they are still getting there in terms of buying jewellery.
I was waiting for them to get ready for my stuff," states Queenie who opened a boutique in 2009 for her eight-year-old jewellery brand Jewels by Queenie.
Her designs have been worn by everyone from Malaika Arora Khan, Kangna Ranaut, Amrita Rao and Lara Dutta in Bollywood and Hillary Clinton and the Queen of Morocco to name a few.
"Hillary visited my exhibition in Delhi and bought a pendant for her daughter and the Queen picked up a pair of diamond earrings," reveals Queenie.
For Bangalore, she's brought an array of rings, bracelets, earrings and necklaces which are contemporary statement pieces. "They are nice, bold, sit well and distinctly Queenie.
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I don't believe in doing minimalist jewlellery. I feel people pay money for jelwellery that needs to be seen," she reasons.
She also custom makes jewellery for her clients using precious stones like diamonds, rubies and emeralds in gold and semi precious stones like blue and pink topaz, rubalite, different kinds of quartz, moonstone, opal and lots of pearls in pieces that are hand made.
Her emeralds are sourced from Columbia and Zambia, rubies from Thailand and Africa and diamonds from Bombay as "it has the best diamonds in the world."
The semi precious gems are from Rajasthan, Mumbai, Delhi, Brazil and South America, which are then sent to Bikaner in Rajasthan for manufacturing. Queenie did several jewellery design courses in her 30s, which she ubs "a waste of time," she's largely self taught.
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"When I was 19 or 20, I used to make my own jewlellery with the money I earned from modelling. The practical knowledge I gained sitting with my karigar is unparalleled," she maintains. Beauty inspires her.
"Along with architecture, destinations, and the stone itself that I'm working with," states Queenie. Although she doesn't have a favourite piece, emerald is her favourite gem. "I like the colour. It's pleasing to the eye," she avers.
Queeni picks her jewellery depending on her mood, where she's headed and what the occasion is.
Commenting on why jewellery is essential to a woman's wardrobe, Queenie says, "Jewellery is not like clothes. People don't like to be too obvious about what they buy.
Some like it purely because of its beauty, some because it's a status symbol and some because they are passionate about jewellery."u00a0
Queenie, who harbours expansion plans and will participate in the Couture Week in Delhi in February, holds legendary Parisian jeweller Van Cleef in high regard.
Where Kimaya, UB City The Collective, 23 Vittal Mallya Road
On till October 12, 10.30 am to 8. 30 pm
Call 41738920/ 21
For Rs 50,000 onwards
