Dialogue of Jewels and Weaves

Heritage took on a contemporary expression as Hyderabad-based luxury bespoke jewellery label SANSA Jewellery collaborated with Chennai-based handloom house VL Zaris for a three-day pop-up at its Banjara Hills store.

Key points

• The pop-up showcased SANSA's contemporary handcrafted jewellery alongside VL Zaris' selection of handwoven textiles, including Kanjivaram silks, Banaras sarees, Kalamkari, Tussars and Maheshwari silk-cottons.
• The brand had extended this approach throughout weaving centres including Kanchipuram, Banaras, Bengal, Maheshwar and Pochampally.
• The Hyderabad pop-up proved to be a positive experience, with a number of exclusive VL Zaris designs on display, including the newly rolled out Radha-Krishna saree.
• Looking ahead, SANSA planned to take its demonstrates, pop-ups and collaborations to cities including Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi.
• For Chandana Shailendren, founder of SANSA Jewellery, the collaboration was a natural coming together of two worlds rooted in craftsmanship.

For Chandana Shailendren, founder of SANSA Jewellery, the collaboration was a natural coming together of two worlds rooted in craftsmanship. Although we have been in the jewellery business for much longer, "SANSA is a luxury bespoke jewellery brand that was established as a retail brand in 2020. Our pop-ups are usually an effort to promote and backing artisanal work. We work with a number of artisans, and that is something that is highly close to us, " she noted.

In practice, the association with VL Zaris followed Chandana's session with its founder Vidya Ananth at an exhibition. "There are probably millions of individuals doing wonderful work, but we happened to meet at an event and I identified her work particularly interesting. She works closely with weavers and is additionally a bespoke saree designer. It aligns highly well with what we do at SANSA. I thought it would create for an interesting collaboration, " she stated.

Notably, the pop-up showcased SANSA's contemporary handcrafted jewellery alongside VL Zaris' selection of handwoven textiles, including Kanjivaram silks, Banaras sarees, Kalamkari, Tussars and Maheshwari silk-cottons. Among the pieces that particularly caught Chandana's attention was VL Zaris' interpretation of Kalamkari. "She has given the traditional craft a different treatment by doing original Kalamkari work on silk. We usually see Kalamkari on cotton, and while tussar is additionally relatively common, she is experimenting with Kanchipattu silk. I discovered that highly interesting, " she noted.

For Vidya, VL Zaris' journey had remained rooted in supporting the individuals behind India's weaving traditions. "We began VL Zaris concerning four years ago with the mission to backing handloom weavers, artists and artisans. I quit my corporate job in America, where I was the vice president for food safety and quality, to start this business, " she remarked.

Notably, the Hyderabad pop-up proved to be a positive experience, with a number of exclusive VL Zaris designs on display, including the newly rolled out Radha-Krishna saree. The label additionally presented sarees featuring Ravi Varma-inspired imagery woven into the fabric, alongside Kanchipuram silk-cottons, Maheshwari silk-cottons, Kanjivaram silks and Banaras fusion sarees.

Vidya's connection with weaving was additionally deeply personal. "My grandmother began wearing sarees when she was 14, and there are five sisters in her family. For every special occasion, they would have sarees woven for everyone. So there has always been a solid connection with weaving in our family, " she stated.

Preserving heritage, nevertheless, additionally involved keeping traditional techniques relevant. Vidya highlighted VL Zaris' work towards reviving Korvai sarees, a technique practised by only a small percentage of Kanchipuram weavers. "We take old sarees and revive their designs by recreating them, so that the art form continues to survive, " she explained.

For context, the brand had extended this approach throughout weaving centres including Kanchipuram, Banaras, Bengal, Maheshwar and Pochampally. "In every region, we develop our own designs while working closely with the local weavers. It is a particularly exciting journey. There is a lot of hard work involved, but it is equally rewarding. Eventually, we hope to take this initiative throughout weaving communities throughout the country, " Vidya stated.

Meanwhile, SANSA had additionally been preparing for the festive and wedding season with a new diamond collection shaped by changing consumer preferences. With gold rates rising, the label had introduced lightweight pieces that retained the appearance of traditional jewellery while reducing the weight considerably. "With newer techniques, we are able to achieve a similar look at almost half the weight, or even less in some pieces, " Chandana shared.

In practice, the brand had additionally introduced diamonds and gemstones set in silver, along with everyday jewellery, making precious materials more accessible. "The idea is to create pieces that people can buy almost as easily as they would buy clothes, " she remarked.

Looking ahead, SANSA planned to take its demonstrates, pop-ups and collaborations to cities including Visakhapatnam, Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. Together, the two labels demonstrated how traditional craft could find new audiences when jewellery, textiles and design came together with a larger purpose, keeping heritage alive while placing artisans at the heart of the story.

In short, dialogue of Jewels and Weaves is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.