Suhani Pittie

Suhani Pittie
Born (1981-04-14) 14 April 1981
Residence Hyderabad, India
Alma mater Gemological Institute of America, USA
Occupation jewellery designer
Years active 2004–present
Notable work Grunge Begum (2010),
Urban Folk (2011),
Child of Eden (2012),
Dances of Earth (2013)[1][2]
Awards SinGem Award for Excellence,
Young Women Achievers Award,
Audi Ritz Icon Award
Website www.suhanipittie.com

Suhani Pittie (born 14 April 1981) is an Indian jewellery designer based in Hyderabad, India. A graduate of Gemological Institute of America, USA, she launched her own jewellery label in 2004. The World Gold Council has enlisted Suhani as one of the top 10 most inventive and ingenious jewellery designers in the world.[3]

Early life

Born in Calcutta, India to a traditional business family, Suhani studied gemology at the Gemological Institute of America in Carlsbad, USA. One of three sisters, she is the youngest, the eldest being noted Indian fashion designer, Anamika Khanna.[4]

At age 20, Suhani established her own training institute, teaching grading of diamonds and coloured stones to students ranging from 16 to 78, including noted jewellers of Calcutta.[5] Her work earned her the SinGem Award for Excellence in the field of gemology.[6]

Career

In 2004, marriage made Suhani move to Hyderabad, where a chance creation of a few jewellery pieces led her to participating in exhibitions, where her collection was ordered by the leading fashion stores of India. Thereafter, her collections were available all across the country, earning her media recognition and accolades.[4][7][8]

Suhani Pittie was the first Indian jewellery designer to be selected to showcase at the Miami Fashion Week; subsequently she received an order from the Museum of Arts and Design, New York.[9][10] Her design collections were also shown at the India Fashion Week, Lakme Fashion Week and other shows.[11] Her jewellery has been worn by many celebrities, including Sonam Kapoor at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013.[12][13]

In 2009 Suhani was short-listed for the Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award held by the British Council.[5] As a finalist she showcased her collections to Prince Charles, Camilla Parker Bowles, Prince Edward and Gaj Singh at the Balsamand Lake Palace in Jodhpur.

In 2011 the Indian Express daily newspaper invited her as a speaker at the prestigious World Crafts Council in New Delhi.

In 2012 Suhani received the Young Women Achievers award by the FICCI Ladies Organisation[14] and Audi Ritz Icon award by Audi and Ritz Magazine.

Suhani was selected to co-operate with veteran artist Thota Vaikuntam to convert his miniature paintings into jewellery. She worked with fashion designer Anamika Khanna as the designer for accessories. Swarovski commissioned her to create exclusive designs for them, as a part of their 10th Anniversary celebrations in India.

The Femina magazine named Suhani as one of the "35 most powerful women in India, under 35". The Fortune magazine included her in the list of 5 people to watch out for in India. The world's second-most widely read English-language business newspaper, The Economic Times wrote about her as one of the most promising contemporary designers in the country. She was also enlisted as one of the youngest Youth Icons of Andhra Pradesh by Passionate Foundation. The American travel and lifestyle channel TLC chose to feature her work and invited as a co-host with Lisa Ray for their Oh My Gold show (the Hyderabad episode).

Suhani is also a columnist of Deccan Chronicle and The Telegraph, she writes on fashion and jewellery.[10]. The ace designer made it to the top six finalists at the Satya Brahma founded Indian Affairs India Leadership Conclave 2016 edition annual awards in the category of Indian Affairs Jewellery Designer of Innovations Creativity[15].

Suhani Pittie label

Suhani Pittie in her 200-year-old haveli in Hyderabad

Suhani Pittie interprets contemporary jewellery and comments on her collections:[2]

"My first collection, Grunge Begum was a story of the Nizam (of Hyderabad). There were copper coins and beryls and the whole regal perspective to it. Move next to Free Religion, it was truly free spirited like the gypsies and the jatra dancers who meander and move with their surroundings and become one with it. There was copper, steel, cheed (beads). It was very free spirted much like their culture. Urban folk was an urban kaleidoscope. It reflected the much modern perspectives in relation to the very earthy Rajasthani culture. Child of Eden, was about going back in time where you were in love with everything. But that too is expressed in the form of an Indian garden. There are peacocks and swans. My latest collection, Dances with the Earth is a collection inspired by the raw ancient beauty that celebrates a particular form of paganism seen amongst tribes of centuries gone by. Using copper, one of the first metals used by humans, this collection is dedicated to the spirit of the tribals living in tune with Nature. I am very one with what I see around me. It influences me."

Suhani does not use any computer-aided designing systems or stencils. Sketching are made on paper and on silver directly.[5]

The Suhani Pittie label retails from stores across India and abroad, including its flagship store at Hyderabad and online store.[4][7]

Style

Her signature style is an unexpected combination of contradictory elements.[16] Her design philosophy is to be confirming in a non-confirming way and to give the world something new with vintage motifs. For Suhani, aesthetics begins with Indian history and culture.[6][17]

References

  1. Saumya Ancheri (30 April 2013). "Fashion Focus. Accessory Labels of the Moment". Louise Blouin Media. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 ET Bureau (30 May 2010). "Suhani Pittie: Be unconventional". Indiatimes.com. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  3. "Suhani Pittie". gold.org. World Gold Council. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 Payal, Priyanka (23 January 2008). "An Interview: Suhani Pittie". highheelconfidential.com. High Heel Confidential. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  5. 1 2 3 "Young Fashion Entrepreneur Award 2009: the list of winners and finalists". britishcouncil.org. British Council. 21 November 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Accessory Designer Members: Suhani Pittie (Accessory Designer)". fdci.org. Fashion Design Council of India. 23 January 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  7. 1 2 Meher Castelino (28 July 2012). "Suhani Pittie: Mixing Mediums Creatively". Navhind Times. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  8. Sutanuka Ghosal & Anuradha Himatsingka (11 October 2013). "Costume jewellery clocked 20–30% growth in FY14". The Economic Times. Bennett, Coleman & Co. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  9. Kimi Dangor (26 March 2007). "A Real Gem. Designer Suhani Pittie to be invited to Miami Fashion Week". India Today. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  10. 1 2 Ajuli Dasgupta (15 February 2009). "Crafting dreams in silver". The hindu. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  11. Ayesha Singh (7 April 2013). "Suhani Pittie's tribal tales". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  12. editorial (16 May 2013). "Fashion Look Book: Sonam Kapoor and Vidya Balan At Cannes". Mumbai Boss. Kaisar Media. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  13. Deboshree Ghosh (15 May 2013). "Sonam Kapoor wears a saree at the 66th Cannes International Film Festival". Bollywoodlife.com. India.com. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  14. "Interactive Session with Young Women Achievers By Ms. Vasuki Sunkavalli & Ms. Suhani Pittie". FICCI. Young FICCI Ladies Organization. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  15. "Indian Affairs Jewellery Designer of Innovations Creativity 2016". India Leadership Conclave 2016. 2016-04-21. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  16. Jasmeen Dugal (25 January 2010). "Fashion Focus. Accessory Labels of the Moment". Vogue India. Vogue. Retrieved 23 October 2013.
  17. Ayushee Syal (5 April 2013). "Tryst With Design: An Interview With Suhani Pittie". luxpresso.com. Luxpresso. Retrieved 26 October 2013.

External links

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