The Paris Haute Couture week debut was a moment of great pride for Tanishq: Garima Maheshwari

Tanishq unveiled ‘Tales of Mystique’ collection inspired by Rajasthan’s architectural beauty and cityscape at Paris Haute Couture week. Image credit: Tanishq.

Paris Haute Couture week, the crème de la crème of the most glamorous and finest craftsmanship, showcases high fashion. It was the perfect setting for Tanishq to unveil ‘Tales of Mystique’ an exquisite jewellery collection of rare diamonds and coloured gemstones inspired by Rajasthan’s architectural beauty and cityscape.

In July, the jewellery house made its big debut in collaboration with fashion designer Rahul Mishra. The depth and mood of Rajasthan’s architectural details—grandeur of the gateways, echoes of the domes, shadows of the Jharokha—were captured in each piece merging technology and handcraft to bring to life a regal gone by era into three dimensional forms.

In a conversation with Forbes India, Garima Maheshwari, head of design, Tanishq, reveals details of the collection and significance of Paris Haute Couture week for the brand. Edited excerpts:

Q. How was Tanishq's debut experience at Paris Haute Couture Week?
This has been a brilliantly exhilarating experience for all of us at Tanishq because Paris Haute Couture Week happened to us for the first time. This is the first presentation of taking our jewels there for Tanishq and it is a moment of great pride and a fantastic milestone achievement, I would say for the brand and for us at this studio.

We received a lot of attention and appreciation for our products, especially because in this collection we showcased India and its rich cultural heritage and presented it in a very modern, contemporary refined aesthetic, which is very appealing to the global kind of audience and this discerning woman consumer of ours. What better place than Paris Haute Couture Week, where you literally have the connoisseurs and people into high-end fashion… where we got a chance to present and showcase our brand, which could be appreciated that Tanishq is foraying into this space now.

Q. What is the inspiration behind Tanishq's 'Tales of Mystique' collection?
The ‘Tales of Mystique’ is an ode to the spirit of Rajasthan, and we have immersed ourselves into the beautiful palaces, the majestic forts and the exotic cityscapes of Rajasthan. So that's how we have looked at the colour and the hues that his place is literally blessed with. The majestic architecture, the tombs, the doorways, the details, the sculptural details, which were preserved so beautifully and crafted so beautifully in these palaces. We've tried to take elements from there, and we have crafted beautiful jewels and reinterpreted these forms in a very modern and contemporary manner for the women of today.

This necklace, part of the ‘Tales of Mystique’ by Tanishq, is inspired by the majestic stairways adorning palace gardens. Image credit: Tanishq.

Q. How did this collaboration with Rahul Mishra come about for very short cutaway?
We at Tanishq really wanted a platform where we could showcase our products in a very global sort of scenario to an audience which is very discerning and this woman who's got a very evolved taste. At the same time, we wanted to collaborate with someone who has the same ethos as us as a brand, and there I think Rahul Mishra, not just in his design but in his philosophy of, you know, his collection that he put there which was WE, THE PEOPLE celebrated that.

It was like the brands were really matching and we wanted to do it with a partner who is also celebrating and appreciating the artisans. And the movement ship that happens in India. And taking that rich culture that's also his philosophy and our philosophy that we want to do everything which is rooted in tradition but presented to a modern customer.

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Q. What is the importance of Paris Couture Week for Tanishq?
I feel that now the world is also a very sharp place. I mean Paris Couture Week got us a lot of coverage. Many fashion enthusiasts, industry leaders and trendsetters are looking at internationally styled pieces from the house of Tanishq. I think that is prestigious, and that's the attention we also wanted. We wanted to showcase to the world that we are great in our traditional polki-kundan, but this is where Tanishq is in the high-end segment—it's our endeavour.

Q. Why did you choose Paris Couture Week to unveil this collection?
We wanted to take something which literally showcases our design prowess of Tanishq and our superior craftsmanship at a global stage. Paris being the fashion capital, you see the great jewellery houses where they work with such fine material and such fine jewellery. So, we wanted to take it and showcase it to the world on that same platform and stage where they present and we got an opportunity to do it.

This necklace, part of the ‘Tales of Mystique’ by Tanishq, features elements inspired by jharokhas with amethyst in the centre. Image credit: Tanishq.

Q. How does Tanishq describe the modern Indian woman and her relationship with jewellery?
Tanishq’s modern woman, I would say, is very contemporary in her appeal and yet she's very deeply rooted in her traditional values, and she respects her culture. She takes pride in her heritage. I feel that this woman wants something discerning and something very fashion forward and statement jewels but she should be able to relate to them. It is not just about the beauty of a piece, it is also something that has to resonate with her personality, and that has been an endeavour to create something for her.

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Q. What trends do you foresee in the jewellery industry in the coming years?
We see a lot of layering happening and close to neck necklaces. We've also tried to do this through this collection with the V shape and Y shape necklaces, which people want to wear on shirts as well as sarees. And a lot of work is happening around the ears because the masks really disrupted our lives for a long and women didn't get to flaunt their earrings as comfortably. So, I think it is coming back to earrings as a piece of adornment. Overall in jewellery, I see a lot of acceptance of colour because colour also helps us depict emotion and our joy. I think in fine jewellery in India for a very long time, we saw an all-diamond look, but I really see that a lot of colour stones in high end jewellery are going to be very big in the coming years.