Stunning, statement and works of art. Earthaments, the jewellery brand, has garnered quite a steady and loyal following in a brief span and is now all set to take the next plunge with a flagship store in Gariahat, opening today. The lady behind it all is Monalisha Manna, whose zeal and enthusiasm to learn a new art form has seen her pursue lessons in smithing. The jewellery is gold-plated silver, brass and silver and the name draws inspiration from the earthy elements that make up the brand. Monalisha designs everything and vouches for her “IT sector knowledge” that taught her “professionalism”, something that has stood her in good stead in her journey as an entrepreneur.
Though Monalisha is excited about the next chapter, she feels it’s a “whole lot of pressure” too. “It is monetarily draining and a whole lot is at stake,” she tells us, candidly. The same honesty that reflects in her work. Pure poetry. Excerpts from the chat...
Monalisha Manna
How was Earthaments born?
I was an engineering student and I passed out of IEM, Calcutta, and then worked at Ericsson and Cognizant and worked for seven years. In 2015, it was all about making my own jewellery. I wasn’t liking what was available in the market. I would make five-10 pieces in each design and I would give them away if someone liked them. It was not a business. Then ITC Sangeet Research Academy had a show and they wanted to felicitate 12-15 prominent guests and they wanted me to make the jewellery for gifting purposes. That’s how the entire journey started. The designs were appreciated a lot and that got me thinking that I could make it for more people and gradually it increased.
When did you leave your job?
I left my job only during the lockdown. I had juggled both for six years. It was too hectic. I would travel to exhibitions across India and outside, come back Sunday evening or Monday morning and join work and then design at night. When I began, I didn’t have help for the first two years. Then gradually the team increased and now I have 17 karigars in Hooghly and three in Jaipur and in-house we have a few women who help me with embroidery and a little bit of work.
We used to have an office in Mudiali, a rented place, and before that, I was operating out of my Tollygunge home. I now stay on Hindustan Road.
What kind of jewellery would you initially make?
I would travel a lot, which was my main passion. The idea was to get a job, make money and travel. I would go to tribal places in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and the Western part of Gujarat and Rajasthan and there are places where you get old jewellery in bulk. I would bring them back and assemble them.
Towards the end of 2018, I felt something new had to be created. Every weekend I would go to Bowbazar to learn moulding and jewellery making, but I was turned away every week. Eventually, the kindhearted Durgada, a renowned gold jewellery maker in that part, agreed to teach me. That’s how I learned smithing, for over a year. Now I have a team making it for me. I don’t have the time to do smithing. It was just the fun of learning the art form. I never thought it’d become a business.
Diti is divinely charming in a jarowa-work fresh-water pearl choker and Abhishara Kaan-Tana. “The dark moon on her forehead signifies strong womanhood. Reviving our heritage patterns, the jarowa sets are reminiscent of the aristocratic pedigree that has formed the base of our Bengali culture,” says Monalisha.
The all-white store wears a striking art gallery feel.
Sculptures from Kumartuli and masks from Naxalbari give the space a different narrative.
How do you pick such interesting motifs?
The first collection that went viral was a collection named Ibtida, just before the lockdown. In Urdu, it means ‘beginning’. I had just started working with silver and was working with brass and other metals before that. It was inspired by Konark Temple and the Odissi accessories. I incorporated mosque motifs with that. I wanted to talk about communal harmony and how art goes beyond religion.
You have an eye for the unusual...
I have an eye for architecture and geometry. I carry a notebook everywhere. Even if it is a basic motif, I make a note.
How big is your flagship store?
It’s a three-storey building. The store is on the ground floor and eventually, in the future, we might put together a curated jewellery store in Calcutta, which is missing here.
What are three of your favourite picks from your collection?
Apart from silver and metal, I love wood jewellery a lot. For my collection Mulgham, I made a bangle and a jhumka combining wood and silver. That jhumka is one of my favourites and also the entire Ibtida collection is a labour of love.
More about it
What: Earthaments
Where: 6B Hindustan Road, Gariahat
Landmark: Next to Muralidhar Girls School
Website: www.earthaments.co.in Contact: 9681185886