Trinkets for the modern woman

Hyderabad girl Aarushi Singh’s jewellery brand Aarka is loved not just by young women, but also celebs like Jacqueline Fernandez, Shruti Haasan and Lakshmi Manchu

Most of us hope to fulfil our dreams, apart from working a regular 9 to 5 job. But only some of us go that extra mile to actually make it happen. City-based Aarushi Singh maybe just 25 years old, but not only has she launched her own label of handcrafted statement jewellery but already has celebrity clients ranging from Jacqueline Fernandez, Shruti Haasan and Niharika Konidela to Lakshmi Manchu, Mallika Dua and Nauheed Cyrusi.

The brand Aarka celebrates the ‘Made in India’ initiative by sourcing local materials, designs and Indian craftsmanship. Aarka means ‘A part of the sun’, informs Aarushi, adding, “The source of our designs are many; from a basic flower to the celestial bodies to exquisite filigree patterns, we like to experiment with and include all possibilities. Our knack of making quintessentially historic symbols, practices and materials as a part of contemporary culture is what inspires us to get through the day.”

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Aarushi is a graduate in Biotechnology from St Pious Degree College for Women near Habsiguda, and is currently working at Corteva AgriScience. “My life had gotten a tad bit monotonous before I started Aarka. I have a cousin who always admires my jewellery collection, and I thought of using my knowledge and knack of collecting beautiful designs to do something more. It took a lot of trials and errors before I started the brand in August 2018. Every day I get to learn something new,” shares Aarushi, who has quirky necklaces, chains, earrings, bracelets and more at an affordable price range of Rs 500 to Rs 1,500.

The woman entrepreneur, keeping in mind the carbon print, has completely given up plastic packaging and is using only eco-friendly waste to ship in her handmade baubles. “Aarka doesn’t promote one-time use even when it comes to jewellery. For instance, I recently designed a pendant that can be worn in two different ways. I don’t want to overprice my products either because my clients range from college-going teens to strong independent women. We plan on expanding our jewellery line to bringing in cufflinks and bracelets for the modern man,” says Aarushi, who is currently selling her products on Instagram at @aa.r.ka and on WhatsApp at 9966331651.

Be it modelling, photography, marketing, designing, sourcing and dealing with suppliers in Jaipur, Aarushi does it all. She has just two young girls interning at her company currently. “Initially, I did face some criticism, but I have now learnt to ignore the negativity. You’ll never be good enough for some people, so you may as well enjoy what you do. We broke even in just six months, so that was a big boost for us,” adds Aarushi, who plans to open her own studio some day.

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