Mumbai: When it’s a Laksh Pahuja jewellery show expect the unexpected. The designer’s creativity always pushes the envelope to the unlimited corners, so the Laksh Pahuja Show presented by Gemma and HRD Antwerp was a line of extreme designs at India International Jewellery Week (IIJW) 2017 powered by GIA.
HRD Antwerp’s name is well known in Europe as an authority in diamond grading, education and equipment. With 570 years of experience and labs in Antwerp, Mumbai and Istanbul, the company offers state of the art innovative solutions and in-house expertise with the hallmark of authentic European quality. Taking the final bow was a very thrilled Laksh Pahuja and Ravi Chhabria, MD, Antwerp India as the packed hall resounded with thunderous applause for a fantastic show.
The Laksh Pahuja presentation called “Patriotism, Peace and Passion”, showcased eleven specially created pieces that were unbelievable visions of beauty inspired by icons in India.
Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of The Swatch Bharat Slogan carried forward by our PM Narendra Modi was the inspiration for the medallion necklace.
Actor Sahil Salathia modelled The Bhagat Singh necklace called “Shaeed” which was a giant pendant designed like a flame with the hero’s head in the centre and ropes around the neck.
The Lata Mangeshkar neckpiece called the “Nightingale” was inspired by the award winning singer. It was a tri-colour necklace dedicated to the singer with Lata’s face on the imposing pendant.
Even chess Grand Master, Vishwanathan Anand was the inspiration for a metal helmet with enamel work, which had chess pieces, and the champion’s figurine in the centre called “Prime Czar”.
The great cartoonist late R K Laxman inspired the brooch called “Uncommon Jewel”, which brought the meaning of the artist’s vision to the ramp with an elephant and the common man’s face.
Mary Kom, India’s ace woman boxer inspired Laksh to create “The Unbreakable” brooch featuring boxing gloves, which was outstanding.
M F Hussain, the master artist gave creative ideas to Laksh for the “Barefoot Wonder” neckpiece that had the paint brushes and paint board along with the artist’s face. J R D Tata, India’s best-known name connected with aviation inspired the “Fire Bird” piece – a brooch that featured the fire bird with a gold chain and gems. But it was the Mother Teresa inspired necklace called “Wings of Charity”, which was a perfect tribute to the Nobel laureate. It was a unique necklace showing beautiful wings, which depicted an angel studded with white/blue Swarovski cubic zirconia that depicted the white cotton sari with blue border. The Rs 5 coin symbolised Mother Teresa’s work, which started with Rs 5. The Indian flag at the back showed she was a Bharat Ratna and on the reverse, was her country’s Albanian flag. The centre of the necklace was a rosary, which was always part of Mother Teresa’s life.
Inspired by the Isha Foundation and Satguru’s project “Rally for Rivers” was a necklace that was draped around the neck with waves that shone with diamonds and gems. It was a jewel for a very worthy cause.
The final jewel called Jai Hind that stopped the show was the grand entry of an army of mini soldiers who represented Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj. It was a sensational draped shoulder ornament cum neckpiece with tiger and soldiers holding the Indian flag.
There are very few jewellery designers who can take the audience on a breath-taking, emotional journey with their jewellery, which carries a message and Laksh Pahuja has done it beautifully each time he has exhibited his collection.
