Where Do I Begin?
Like many jewellery lovers, my affair with baubles began at a young age, sneaking into Mama’s bangle drawers to play dress up. My career as Fashion Director with a leading Indian luxury and lifestyle magazine led to years of access and exposure – encompassing jewellery houses all over the world and allowing me to push boundaries and present my take on accessorising. Then followed a period which organically veered me towards ornamentation each time – collaborating with a fine jewellery brand to create everyday jadau, working with the Gem and Jewellery Council of India to build a platform for budding designers through artisanal contests and finally, really thinking about the jewellery I wanted to wear – every day and for every occasion.
Inspiration, Stimuli, Brainwave
The inspiration comes from anything or anywhere. The carrot and pomegranate salad I ate for lunch; confetti sprinkles at the Coldplay concert; the curve of a four-leaf clover motif from my great-grandmother’s 24-carat cuffs; the blue colour palette – CERULEAN! – The Devil Wears Prada, a film I rewatch when I need a Meryl and fashion fix; the sharp angles of a jacket beautifully photographed in a book about Yves Saint Laurent; jaali-window details on a Bikaner antique; nights out with friends (not sure what the reference point is here but when there’s tequila involved, one can expect some a-ha moments).
Every piece tells a story — passed down, reimagined, and made yours.
A Meticulous Process
The mission is clear but getting it to that point requires many man-hours, a passionate attention to detail and some very skilled craftsmanship. Rough stones are cut and polished and then hand-set into casted metal frameworks, employing age-old and time-tested jadau techniques. The various layers and steps needed to achieve the final look are all labour-intensive and require immense patience along with a keen eye and a high level of dexterity. This technique is all down to the incredible artisans I work with in Rajasthan and the legacy of craft and expertise they bring to the table.
The Jadau Affair
India has such a rich history of adornment with such an abundance of variety expertise. I just happen to have a
deep-seated love for jadau - its intricacy, vibrancy and richness is incomparable. But I’ve always strived to reimagine its purpose; to create something current, relatable, exuberant, playful, versatile and easy to travel with. We wear pearls and generationally passed down diamonds with our Indian as well as contemporary clothing, so why not jadau – that’s the question I aim to answer with the pieces I design.
A New Birth
StackablesbyNJ germinated during the pandemic and when the world opened up in 2021, I was ready with my first set of fifteen bracelets. A customer commented that she wanted the same “stack” I had on; immediately leading to the brand name – Stackables. A name that really resonates with me as I love to champion the art of layering and styling pieces in various ways. There are no rules – mix your metals, your colours, your delicate with your chunky, your precious with your fashion jewels,. StackablesbyNJ is all about having fun with your accessories and doing it differently each time, with pieces from the brand as well as pieces you have in your jewellery wardrobe.
India Calling
The core identity of each piece is rooted in Indian craft. That peels into influences that have no boundaries, geographically or historically. There is always the attempt to present a selection that will have global appeal, an aspiration that jadau may be loved and embraced by all jewellery lovers, wherever they may be.
