One of India’s foremost couturiers, Suneet Varma is a name that immortalizes glamour and timeless style. Meticulous craftsmanship, a strong design sensibility and undying love for sartorial research, the Varma brand exudes fantasy, sexy sophistication and unadulterated femineity for the woman of today. Suneet Varma now transmutes his signature styles into an exclusive jewelry line for Aulerth.
Excerpts from our interaction with Suneet Varma. Scroll down to read more.
How would you describe the collection to your patrons?
The Suneet Varma collection for Aulerth symbolises the ethos of my design DNA. The design sensibility is very aesthetic, beautiful, in tune with celebrating the various facets of craftsmanship, and marries the beauty of tradition to modernity.
How did you translate your design sensibilities to this jewellery line?
My design sensibilities revolve around elements that celebrate beauty. Initially, there was a lot of back and forth between the manufacturers, us and the design atelier at Aulerth while formulating the final designs; and in the process, I learned so many new things about jewellery. For instance, I was exposed to different kinds of craftsmanship techniques; I learned about different kinds of stones, how you can mould them, and even the shapes one can work with… It was an exhilarating learning experience for me.
Having said that, in my collection, I wanted to depict a sliver of Indian art forms. Honestly, I have always loved gemstones and jewellery, even more than fashion.
If you have to depict the essence of this collection in just one line, what would you say?
The Suneet Varma line for Aulerth is forever, beautiful, and aesthetic
What inspired your design process for this collection? How did you choose the stones, colour palette and style?
The collection is divided into three categories—pastels, diamonds (all polki), and the traditional group. The traditional jewellery pieces have rubies, emeralds and the likes embedded in them; the colour palette is rich and decadent. The pastel jewellery portrays pale pinks, minty greens and white stones. Based on the three demarcations, we streamlined our thought on how would someone style the jewellery. For instance, the pastel jewellery will work beautifully for day weddings, NRI weddings, and also reception functions. Similarly, I feel, the polki jewellery line is super versatile; women from all age groups can wear these and dazzle. These can be paired with vintage, heirloom saris. Lastly, the traditional line is perfect for traditional brides; these can be paired beautifully with rich Banarasi saris, brocade-work garments and the likes.
I would also like to talk about what went behind crafting the motifs. The motifs in my jewellery line are heavily inspired by the beauty of Mughal architecture. If you look at the pieces, some of the longer jewellery is inspired by the minar of the Taj Mahal. The spectacular appeal of inlay work, frescos, and meenakari from Mughal-inspired art forms have seeped into my collection, effortlessly.
What do you love the most about this collection?
It’s from the heart. It’s very real, the craftsmanship is priceless; the back of the jewellery is as picturesque as the front. The jewellery is made sensibly and sensitively.
Any styling tips? What’s the best way to pair these jewellery pieces?
The long necklace from the pastel group can be paired beautifully with a white shirt and a lovely pair of well-structured trousers. It is perfect for a cocktail evening out with friends. You can pair it with a baby pink organza sari, too, for a formal occasion; you can also style it with an old, beautiful Benarasi sari. Colours like dusty pink, mint, ivory, gold and pearl will pair well with the pastel pieces of jewellery.
The collection is wide and versatile. And, the best thing about this collection is that some pieces are multifunctional. For example, a choker can also be worn as a hairband; and at times, the matha patti can also be worn as a bracelet. You can take a piece of jewellery and wear it to a traditional wedding, and then repurpose it to wear it to a western cocktail event, and then further repurpose it to style it as a hair jewel—that’s the beauty of the collection.
How gratifying was the experience of creating a jewellery line for you?
It was extremely gratifying, especially because the team at Aulerth is very in sync with design, per se. They are also in sync with the notion of creating something very special and spectacular. So, when your entire creative team is on board with the same mindset, the process becomes very beautiful. And, I have always deeply loved and cared about jewellery. Over the years in my career, I’ve crafted jewellery for my shows. I’ve always been enchanted by jewellery and my collaboration with Aulerth has given me the space to nurture this passion further.
What do you hope people will understand more about you through this new expression and form?
I hope patrons will see through the Suneet Varma DNA via this jewellery line. I have kept my brand’s sensibilities intact while crafting the jewellery. I love long-lasting things; I love versatile jewellery that can be used in multiple ways, and I love jewellery that can travel easily. And these elements have effortlessly surfaced in my collection for Aulerth.
What makes Aulerth's couture-inspired, conscious jewellery special?
The very fact that Aulerth is the first one to do it in the country! Aulerth is the only one creating couture-inspired, conscious jewellery. Indians across the world value the tradition of jewellery, unlike their western counterparts. And Aulerth understands this. So, while creating jewellery, they are ensuring to be sustainable and that’s a beautiful stream of thought.
What’s your favourite piece from the collection?
I like quite a few. I love the long necklace that can be repurposed as a choker. I am also very fond of the bridal necklace from the pastel collection.
