The Coolest Cult Jewellery Label You Need To Know About

Written by Faye Remedios9th Jul 2014
THE COOLEST CULT JEWELLERY LABEL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
A conversation when it’s between two friends with unusual interests—one used a fire kiln to play with glass while the other preferred a pair of pliers, a box of colours and a sketchbook—must lead to something pretty unique. In this case, the result was one of the most vibrantly quirky jewellery labels we have come across yet. Both women had had their fill of the corporate world and were looking to pursue more creative avenues so the timing couldn’t have been better. Ikroop Dhillon was a former Brand Solutions expert with CNBC TV18 and was training to become a fused glass artist, while Pooja Roy Yadav was a Brand Consultant with The Communication Council, and was now testing her skills as a jewellery designer. Together, they decided to form BANGDAR SARALI, a label that experiments with fused glass in jewellery.

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The story behind their unusual name…

Ikroop and Pooja were friends for a decade before starting their brand and they wanted their name to reflect this. They picked Bangdar Sarali, which is an anagram for BANGALI and SARDAR and captures the essence of their friendship as well as the two forms of art coming together in the form of fused glass jewellery.

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Their technique is very different…

The fused glass art technique involves treating glass over 1000 degrees wherein it melts and fuses to create fluid forms and vibrant shapes. The brand attempts to marry ancient European glass art techniques (such as Murano) with Indian motifs and colours to create jewellery, which is a fusion of the two cultures.

Pictured above: Sunset at Sea; blue and yellow fused glass earrings with a moon motif and tassels.

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Expert training...

Ikroop’s love for glass art and her eagerness to use glass as a medium in her pieces led her to train under glass expert Atul Bakshi, possibly the best known Indian glass artist whose installations are works of magic. Ikroop apprenticed under him for many months before co-launching Bangdar Sarali.

Pictured above: The WaterFall Chokkar; blue and green fused glass chokkar.

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The process is pretty intricate…

The making is a three-step process: The first step involves creating an inspiration mood board highlighting the colours and the patterns for the fused glass. The jewellery design is sketched to capture the essence of the fused glass art being created. The second step focuses on the fusion process which involves working at high temperatures in a kiln. For the last step, a skilled artisan handcrafts the jewellery. The entire process can take up to 15 working days.

Pictured above: Atlantis; teal and yellow fused glass earrings with Lotus motif.

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No piece can be recreated...

“Unlike any other medium of art where the artist is in complete control, glass as a medium allows the artist only so much leeway. At the 1000+ degree temperatures, no human intervention is possible and when glass melts, it has a mind of its own. The patterns that emerge are never identical, making each Bangdar Sarali creation truly one-of-a-kind,” explains Ikroop.

Pictured above: A Canvas series; yellow fused glass neck piece with spider and web accents.

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As far as inspiration goes…

“True to the saying, art is nothing but an imitation of nature, the vibrancy of life around us has been one of the major sources of inspiration for our pieces. We love bright, cheerful colours and their interplay,” says Pooja.

Pictured above: Glacier Ice; orange, white and blue fused glass earrings with Trishul motif.

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A celebrity they want to see wearing their jewellery…

“From the current lot, we feel our jewellery will work best with Kangana Ranaut‘s personality and her sartorial choices,” says Ikroop.

Pictured above: A Canvas series; orange fused glass neck piece with spider and web accents.

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Their collection is aimed at…

“A Bangdar Sarali woman is intelligent, independent, outgoing, fashionable and highly experimental and likewise for the men for whom we are creating accessories like cufflinks and brooches,” affirms Ikroop.

Pictured above: Pink Tulips; pink, white and green fused glass earrings with Lotus motif.

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The most unusual thing about the label…

No gems are used in Bangdar Sarali and each of the fused glass pieces used is handcrafted from scratch. Instead of gems, Pooja and Ikroop prefer to work with copper, brass and sterling silver. The jewellery is then plated in gold micron because both feel that the colours of the fused glass truly come alive when married with gold hued metals.

Pictured above: A Canvas series; orange, blue and peach fused glass brooch.

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Their pieces are best worn…

“Since we usually have a pop of colour in our pieces, they tend to work best when combined with a solid palette in Western, Indo-western or Indian apparel,” says Pooja.

Pictured above: Igneous; orange, white and black fused glass earrings with Lotus motif.

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Shop the label…

Their price points range from ₹2,750 to ₹15,000. They retail at Ogaan in New Delhi, Neon in Bengaluru and online, you can find them at www.jaypore.com, www.daflokk.com and www.exclusively.in.

Pictured above: Pooja Roy Yadav (Left) and Ikroop Dhillon (Right)

Faye Remedios

Written by

My family which includes my beagle Ruff, books and time with close friends is what is most important to me. And when you don’t find me with my nose buried in a book, you will probably see me shopping in a mall. As someone who is well read, outgoing and a wellness and beauty enthusiast by nature, I have the ability to get things done efficiently (or so I like to think). With that said, adding a dash of creativity, a pinch of style and a whole lot of focus, is my mantra to bringing out very readable stories.
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