Jewellery maximalists have yet another reason to rejoice. Designer Suhani Parekh’s love language in gold—Misho—which recently added new pieces to its Bow collection. Embracing the bold, fun and the whimsical, it is inspired by the women she works with. “Bows are a huge fashion trend right now, and the girls would come into the office with these adorable bows in their hair. I simply had to make a jewellery version—Misho’s classic reinterpretation with a sculptural twist, and statement,” she says. The bow runs through stunning pendants, earrings and hair accessories.
In the eight years since its inception, Misho has made its way to the wardrobes of celebrities worldwide, who are wearing her nonconformist creations both on and off the red carpet. Think Zendaya’s textured hoops, Dua Lipa’s split ring, Taylor Swift’s Pala bangles, Jennifer Lopez’s Sirena hoops, Kendall Jenner’s mini flow hoops, Lady Gaga’s statement chokers, and Rihanna’s Etruscan chain.
Parekh was trained to be a sculptor at Goldsmiths, University of London, worked with the Indian architecture firm Ashiesh Shah, and finally decided to follow her heart and design jewellery with a sculptural twist. Her techniques draw roots from the ancient jewellery crafting techniques in India—pulling metal wire to lost wax casting. Crafted in modern aesthetics using materials including 22k gold-plated bronze and rhodium-plated sterling silver.
Is the entrepreneur where she thought she’d be after nearly a decade? “When I started making jewellery, it was because they were things I wanted for myself,” she confesses, adding, “People began to compliment them and I knew I had to turn that into something. Misho has become something bigger than I ever imagined, but my aspirations have simply readjusted.” Her background in art history certainly gives her an advantage. “It allows me to have a more unique perspective. I see my designs as wearable sculptures for the human body, and I think it’s an interesting way of looking at jewellery. I don’t limit myself in terms of what jewellery can be,” she says.
The world agrees. Her iconic Pod Earrings (dress-me-ups for AirPods) won several design and jewellery awards and were splayed across global fashion magazines. “But the Misho couture pieces are the real game changer,” she says. The Halterneck Body Piece handcrafted in 22k gold-plated bronze black onyx stones, the Perla bikini top and the Malachite body piece are complete head turners and goddess-garb. Prod her for a favourite and she responds, “The gold couture baby bump we created while I was pregnant with my daughter holds a special place in my heart. It’s my favourite by far. I love that my brand is known for its bold gold aesthetic and we use a special finish to achieve that. Eleven percent of the world’s gold reserves are owned by Indian women, and it was such an important part of our culture and heritage, so the play of gold is a nod to our Indian heritage,” she beams.
Her design process is as eclectic as her designs. They differ from collection to collection. “Sometimes it’s as simple as having a solid idea and sketches, and the piece comes to fruition quite easily. At other times, I have a concept which can sit at the back of my mind for a while until I find the opportunity to make it happen. But there is a lot of prototyping involved.
It helps me understand something as simple as getting the right shape, to how it will sit on or hang off the body. There are intricate processes before we get to the final piece,” she says.
The charm sustains through the names of the creations too, from Nido, Faun to Hera. “I like to find abstract names in different languages that refer to the shape of the design. Sometimes the names are as simple as the shape of the piece, but I try to be creative,” she says. What’s next? “Lots of exciting stuff in my signature style. It won’t be a long wait, I promise.”
Availability: Mishodesigns.com
