Full disclosure: I‘ve been an ardent admirer of Angana’s jewellery and have a shortlist of her pieces that I want to add to my collection. There is something about her delicate 18K gold jewellery that captivates you with its simplicity and pulls you in with the affirmations and positivity that she assigns to it. Her’s are the pieces that you wear on days when you need that extra bit of protection, positivity and hope to cling on to. You may have seen her jewellery on various actors but you would be hard-pressed to find a picture of the designer herself who confesses to being a bit of a recluse on her social media feed, allowing her work to instead speak for her. We catch her for a quick round of questions…
Right from the beginning your jewellery has had a mystical angle, from the Yantra necklaces right up to the Incantation collection. Tell us more about this connection?
Events of my childhood had me seeking answers to very philosophical questions. Looking for comfort and signs of well being often made me assign miraculous properties to stones and found objects. A sense of wonder and imagination were part of my coping skills. In fact, I prayed for superpowers and the ability to heal.
I began meditating over 20 years ago and I understand the power of belief, conditioning and the work of affirmations. It was natural to share my love for the goodness and positivity of life through my jewellery. My collections are physical mantras that are intention-based.
We love the idea of the little book that accompanies the pieces and explains the symbolism. How did this come about?
Thank you! I needed a way to communicate my ideas and different positive states of emotion with my customers. It isn’t obvious that the Third Eye stands for awakening. Most people attribute the symbol to the Evil Eye. The booklet makes clear the intent of the piece but of course, the customers must add their own interpretation to what they wear and why they wear it. Every collection has a theme and the booklets or cards either explain the individual icons or an overriding emotion. I write all my copy and two collections have small poems. I have four collections currently and I’m working on the fifth.
Incantation is about using a spell to achieve your desires. The icons represent awakening, belief, evolution, progress and connectivity. I can’t say I premeditated the collection… it kind of fell in place just like that!
Love Is.. is a cheeky view on …Love. There is passion, maturity, playfulness and a heart fixer.
The Sea & Me is about letting go and letting your breath be in harmony with the ebb and flow of life
Born Again is about empowering your self through your unique journey of life.
If there were an ideal woman to wear your jewellery, who would it be?
I don’t have any fixed image in my mind. When you embrace your humanity you connect with all kinds of people. I’ve got teenagers and grandmothers as clients, scientists and socialites. I’m really happy when my clients tell me that they never take my jewellery off. I guess I’m seeking that connection.
Your favourite piece to gift?
Well, the fact that the gift has symbolism makes it easier to choose. I recently gifted my friend the Scallop shell ring from the Sea & Me collection because I want her to let go and breathe a little! I guess that is a good gift for everyone I know!
Tell us more about the New York shows and the collection you would be showcasing?
I’m taking part in two trunk shows this December. The one in Tribeca is a curated show with 25 independent jewellery designers. Most are emerging designers like me. The parent company has been in the business of promoting jewellers and also serves as a platform for discussions on various facets of our industry. The other show is on the Upper Westside. I’m playing Alicia Keys and Jay Z in my head!
I’m taking all 4 collections and I’ve added some variations to my previous collections.
About Angana:
Following her dream of being a jeweller meant Angana Nanavaty Shroff had to give up her corporate career to pursue a creative path by learning the craft in San Francisco and Jaipur. Four collections later, her delicate jewellery has a legion of loyalists who love the intention-based fine jewellery.
