The showcase presented 30 customized jewellery looks paired with specially designed outfits for the traditional half-saree ceremony
Hyderabad: PMJ Jewels recently organized a traditional half-saree jewellery showcase at Taj Krishna in Hyderabad, introducing a new format to present ornaments created for the traditional ceremony that is popular in South India. The presentation combined customized jewellery with specially designed outfits and saw children from the brand’s own customer families walking the ramp.
The fashion presentation was held on the opening day of PMJ’s flagship bridal exhibition, an event the brand hosts twice every year. For this edition, PMJ collaborated with designer Bhargavi Kunam to create outfits for the children. Instead of hiring professional child models, the brand invited children from its existing customer base to walk the ramp. Participants included the children and grandchildren of long-standing patrons of PMJ Jewels.
“Instead of getting professional child models, we decided to invite our customers’ children to walk the ramp,” said Neerav Challa, Business Head, Exhibitions & Events, PMJ Jewels. “All the kids on the ramp were from families that have been associated with us. Bhargavi Kunam designed outfits specifically for them after considering their size, colours and overall styling.”
The jewellery featured during the presentation was also created specifically for the event, not drawn from store inventory. Around 30 looks were developed for the ramp show, with each piece designed to match the colour palette of the outfit and the styling requirements of each child.
“Usually during fashion shows, brands present jewellery that already exists in their inventory,” Challa said. “For this showcase, we created jewellery specifically for every look. We also explored ideas using materials such as corals and other elements that are rarely used.”
The event drew an audience of over 500 guests, including PMJ’s premium customers as well as patrons from the designer’s network. Alongside the ramp presentation, the evening also featured a Bharatanatyam performance by a group of young dancers, followed by dinner for the guests.
Promotions for the event were carried out mainly through digital platforms including Instagram and Facebook. The brand also hosted a media interaction with the designer and the brand’s leadership before the event. Select customers received personal invitations along with curated gifts, while visitors attending the bridal exhibition were also invited to attend the fashion presentation.
The jewellery created for the showcase will be available selectively across PMJ’s larger stores including Vijayawada, Jubilee Hills, Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru. Smaller stores will carry extension lines inspired by the collection.
Through the initiative, PMJ also highlighted its growing focus on jewellery for half-saree and dhoti ceremonies, which have become increasingly prominent in South Indian celebrations in recent years.
“As a brand we are already known as a bridal jeweller in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana markets,” Challa said. “But we also want customers to recognize us as a strong destination for half-saree and dhoti function jewellery. These ceremonies have become very prominent over the past 7-8 years, and we have been building collections specifically for them.”
Founded in 1964 in Hyderabad, PMJ Jewels, specializing in high-end gold, diamond, and bridal jewellery, runs more than 40 stores across India and the USA.
Written by Aparna Bhowmick
Retail Jeweller India Exclusive
