Making the mangalsutra trendy: Archana Jain

Archana Jain, Partner, Swastik Jewellers, a self-taught designer has made it her mission to popularise mangalsutra globally. Read this post to find out more about her inspiration, plans and her dreams.

–Manoj Chakraborty

The Retail Jeweller (TRJ): From a bachelor’s degree in advertising to jewellery designing — tell us more about your journey.

Archana Jain: After graduating, I started as an intern in the brand planning department at Leo Burnett. After a few years, I married Abhishek Jain, a family jeweller. He encouraged me to have my own identity. I joined the family venture in 2014, and gradually understood the jewellery business at the retail level, including gauging the requirements of customers. I then ventured into the digital space and e-commerce and entered into tie-ups with industry players for understanding the online business. In 2017, we launched our own website.

TRJ: Swastik Jewellers was already into manufacturing mangalsutras, how did you add value to it?

AJ: Swastik Jewellers has been manufacturing mangalsutras for more than a decade. I have just added new collections to the existing brand, maintaining its core value of innovation in design and finesse in quality. Collections such as Sylvette, Aurette and Saptasutra are new-age mangalsutras for the new generation, which is proud of flaunting them as a style statement post marriage.

TRJ: What is your latest  collection all about? What is the design inspiration?

AJ: Saptasutra is one of my latest creations for this season. As the name suggests, it’s a collection symbolising the seven vows, or the sapt-padi, that a Hindu couple takes, at the time of getting married. This collection has both mangalsutra bracelets and neckwear. The inspiration behind it is two people getting married and making seven personalized promises to each other.

TRJ: Is there a piece that is particularly close to your heart?

AJ: All my creations are special to me. I get inspired by the commitment that two people make to each other when they get married. I really cannot say that any one piece is more important than the other.