Accessory Whizz: Eishita Puri of Eurumme On Designing Imperfect Jewellery For The Non-Conformist Woman

She doesn’t mince words. She also does not care about the fact that not everyone will see beauty in her creations. But that’s what makes Eishita Puri’s craft so tantalising.

Her jewellery lacks the typical polished look, the veneer that makes it catch the connoisseur’s fancy. Eurumme pieces are non-conformist to say the least. Stones are uncut and the metals are positioned without much co-ordination. The look is rough and raw — but fabulous. This makes the brand stand out amongst the hoi polloi. For instance, we see a maang tikka that brings together three gold-plated flowers beaten awkwardly and strung together with a chain. There isn’t any uniformity in the polish but it makes a memorable statement when worn on the head. “The flowers are big and do not have that delicate look. The ornament is striking in its shape and texture. A lot of brides opt for this piece for their mehndi or sangeet. Or they may pick palm cuffs and hand harnesses as these give them an unorthodox look. That’s the motto of my brand. Imperfect is beautiful. There are many who don’t like this raw look. But those who like it, love it,” says the designer.

A media and communications graduate from the University of Melbourne, Puri did try her hand at journalism for a few years. The buzz in the newsroom however wasn’t enough to keep her hooked. It was then that she dipped into her creative acumen to start afresh. “My mother used to craft precious jewellery many moons ago. But times and tastes were different then and almost everyone gravitated towards mundane diamonds and polki. I wanted to channelise my artistic skills in jewellery that would not be the usual but rather, exceptional pieces that young and bold women could wear with pride. That was the foundation of Eurumme.” The name is derived from aurum, Latin for gold since Eurumme’s pieces are structured from brass and plated with gold. She has also created trinkets from dried leaves and twigs. The stones used in them are uncut and unpolished, a conscious deviation from the established pattern of jewellery crafting.

Puri feels that the modern bride is clear about what she wants to wear. “As long as she does not toy with family sentiments on the main day, she can decide her looks for the peripheral functions. Many brides come to buy statement pieces that would impart a funky look. She might wear a choker to go with an off-shoulder blouse, go with huge earrings only, or just opt for our maang tikkas. The options are endless and super fun. What I love about our new-age brides is that they carry off each look with so much panache that no one really is judging them for not wearing the same old diamonds. Also, they realise that my pieces can be worn later, on different occasions and with varied outfits,” elaborates Puri, while relating how her friend wore Eurumme for her mehndi and sangeet and later took all the pieces with her to Belgium. She realised that she could team them with just about anything.

Another reason for costume jewellery proving to be a top draw today is that it is less cumbersome. A bride does not necessarily want to be weighed down with heavy, precious ornaments. “She finds it easier to wear fashion bijouterie so that she can enjoy herself freely. Our kind of jewellery is much easier to handle. And while I am very flexible with customisations, I do not deter from this, my core design aesthetic,” Puri says with a stamp of surety.

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