Paperjewelz started as a hobby in September 1992. The motivation was simply to do something artistic and fun, something unique and different, and use whatever was available.
In 1992 “recycled fashion”, “sustainable fashion”, “eco-friendly fashion”, “upcycled art” etc. weren’t trending concepts but it was something that was taught to us by our parents from the very beginning, something our family follows even today.
“Reuse”, “Recycle” and “Minimum waste”- words to live by.
Product design, Manufacturing and Production, Marketing, Social Media, Web Design, Photography and everything else that this small business requires is done by me. I have one part-time employee who comes from an underprivileged background but strives to give her children a better education.
Paperjewelz has always been a unique brand/ product. So there was no manual for product development or business plan. It was always a labour of love and continues to be so. There was a lot of media attention, I worked for some of the top designers in the country doing accessories for Fashion shows.
As trends changed, so did Paperjewelz. It has now evolved into something unique, versatile, and fun with every fashion look. It has more to do with individual style rather than just the trend of the season. My endeavour is not just to create jewellery, I want to make every piece a work of art that transcends time that will look as cool 20 years from now as it does today.
My job as a designer/ artist is to make every piece irresistible, beyond perfect, it has to be magical.
My bestselling pieces are the statement necklaces and long earrings. The most unique thing is that they are very light and comfortable, the style and designs are unique to Paperjewelz and you won’t find anything like it anywhere else. They are conversation starters and head turners at any event. Great fun to wear and interesting to talk about.
I also make small earrings, rings and other accessories on order.
Semiprecious stones and silver are incorporated into funky designs, mostly on order.
The price range starts as low as 200 for small earrings and goes up to 10,000 for semiprecious jewellery. There is a wide range of designs to choose from, something for everyone.
There is no targeted age group or demographic. It’s just people who wear jewellery, and those who don’t. The statement necklaces have been worn by men too so it’s not just women. Clip-on earrings and necklaces for little children are very popular around Diwali and for Weddings. For Paperjewelz it is motivation, challenge and work satisfaction when new people enjoy my work for the first time.
Paperjewelz has had repeat customers and a growing clientele from the beginning, and a growing international clientele too. Paperjewelz is selling successfully in Europe and US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia.
As “Destination Weddings” are getting more popular, Paperjewelz is preferred by many because it’s safer and easier to carry, not in danger of getting stolen like gold and diamond jewellery. And we have enough bling designs too that look awesome with formal wear.
Paperjewelz is an art developed through experimentation and just having fun creating something new. There was no guideline or manual, there were no YouTube videos to learn these skills. It is a combination of inspiration, hard work and motivation to keep learning.
And as long as we are learning we continue to evolve.
What will Paperjewelz look like 10 years from now? Who knows? The world is different in the past 2 years, buying and selling trends have changed, and with that Paperjewelz has evolved too, new designs, a new website, more active on social media.
But one thing is for certain- if Paperjewelz is still there years from now, it will still be creative, magical and completely unique.
