The inaugural India International Jewellery Week wrapped up in Mumbai on Wednesday in a run-up to the international jewelry show here that lasts through Monday.

India is stressing the “international” in both events in the hopes of promoting India’s designers on the world stage and moving beyond the Indian jewelry industry’s notoriety for mass production.

The 34 runway fashion shows of jewelry week literally put some of that work on the stage and did so in a production rivaling fashion weeks in New York and Paris. Much like couture runway shows, the designs featured were way, way, way over the top, doing little to dispel the image of Indian jewelry design as being simply too much for the typical American consumer — and, in turn, too much for the typical American retailer. The questions that kept coming to my mind were: 1. Who’s going to buy and wear this stuff? And: 2. Why should American retailers care about this?

Not being a style expert myself, I e-mailed some photos of the shows to our senior editor, Beth Bernstein, essentially asking her, “Holy cow, Beth, how am I going to describe these things?” Some of these necklaces were more like bejeweled gorgets from a suit of armor. Cuffs as big as splints! Earrings big enough to make you wince!

Here’s how Beth was able to translate it for me:

“Particularly important this season are the statement pieces such as big and large collar necklaces, longer earrings with swing and movement and pile-on bracelets. These are three trends that are happening at the red carpet and runway level. These bibs and collars can also translate into more versatile graduated gem and pearl encrusted necklaces that have a multi-strand effect and are easier to wear for the real woman.”

Thanks to Beth, it gave me some frame of reference, but it also occurred to me that the most important thing she said was “runway,” because, of course, these pieces were on a runway.

This really is no different from the New York and Paris clothing fashion shows, and the fact that jewelry itself was the sole focus is pretty cool from our industry’s standpoint. Jewelry week here is doing what we’ve often preached in INSTORE and INDESIGN: that jewelry in general is about fashion and changing trends, and the more you can convince your customers of that, the more jewelry you’ll sell.

What was on the runway here was no different from the haute couture you see on runways and think to yourself: 1. “Who’s going to wear these outfits?” And: 2. “Why should I care about these when what I’m seeing in Macy’s doesn’t look anything like it?”

The answers to our questions in this case are pretty simple: 1. This is haute couture, and only the very, very wealthy and super-famous are actually going to wear these pieces — if, even, they actually do wear them. And: 2. We should care, because these, like the outrageous dresses we see on runways, are the inspiration for looks that translate, eventually, to what’s on display in your own cases.

 Think that’s a stretch? One of the featured shows on Wednesday that had more over-the-top pieces than most was Amrapali, whose designs dangle from more Hollywood starlets than you can name in the length of their runway show (they tried to name them all), and whose red-carpet looks influence your customers to buy pieces inspired by them.

India Interational Jewellery Week may be doing exactly what India’s Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council has intended, but events like it may help to do more to further the notion of jewelry itself as fashion. And in turn, just as the styles and inspirations from them make their way down to your cases, so too may trickle down the profits into your pockets.

Amrapali 

Manubhai Zaveri Ornaments




Sawansukha




Sawansukha




Tanishq