Kenneth Jay Lane explains the global appeal of Shaill Jhaveri’s designs.

[dropcap cap=I]n 2000, after years of designing for other companies, Shaill Jhaveri launched his own collection, SHAILL. Although he continues to collaborate with established design firms, his own line is steeped in originality with a nod to his Indian heritage, and yet reworked with a modern aesthetic and acknowledgement of what American women are looking in collectible fine jewelry. He describes his collection as “cross-cultural contemporary with whispers of distant cultures and lands.” Most recently, he showcased Shaill Jhaveri Couture collection, a dramatic, exuberant collection of one-of-a-kind pieces, featuring Oriental motifs and Sanskrit texts, wrought with delicately applied enamels and precious stones set in 18K gold. A graduate of Parsons School of Design (where he won a scholarship from Tiffany & Co.), Shaill has received numerous design Awards, including the Intergold Award from the World Gold Council, and two De Beers Diamond Today Awards. — STORY BY BETH BERNSTEIN [/dropcap]

“I met Shaill about 20 years ago, before he began turning gray. He was designing private label for Avon, and my first impression was that he had incredibly thick dark hair. All teasing aside, I liked his sensibility very much, and when he began doing his own thing, he came to me for guidance and critique.”

“I introduced him to the buyers at Bergdorf’s because I truly believed in him and could see that he was doing something very different for the American market. I loved that he was inspired by India but his designs are not ethnic, nor are they steeped in the regal style of the Mughals. He has taken his roots and reinterpreted them into a look that can be understood throughout the U.S. and globally.”

“He has a wonderful sense of humor and spirit that draw other people to him, which is very important when you are trying to sell your own collection.”

“This new couture line that he is doing is special. From a design sense, it’s first rate. It’s saleable yet beautifully crafted and executed. It features the finest of workmanship as well as gorgeous design unlike anything else out there. Shaill has been evolving for a while now, and he’s been doing it at a pace that works on every level. Now, with this collection, I would say that Shaill has arrived.”

[componentheading]Designs from Shaill Jhaveri[/componentheading]

[componentheading]KENNETH JAY LANE’S [/componentheading]

[smalltext]costume jewelry has caught the eye of the world’s most glamorous women for more than four decades, including Jackie Onassis, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Vreeland and Audrey Hepburn. His pieces are now as sought-after and collectable as precious gems, with vintage pieces selling at Christie’s and Sotheby’s. After a stint as a shoe designer, he realized his true love was jewelry. Before long, his collections were being snapped up by boutiques across Manhattan. He continues to dress Hollywood celebrities and prove that fashion jewelry can be as beautiful as the real thing. [/smalltext]

[span class=note]This story is from the September-October 2010 edition of INDESIGN[/span]