When actor Tejasswi Prakash wore a structured face chain in Netflix’s Desi Bling, she did more than serve a memorable fashion moment. She showcased just how playful Indian jewellery is becoming and encouraged more people to experiment with accessories that were once seen as too eccentric, theatrical or over the top.

Sukriti Banthia, founder of four-year-old Jaipur-based jewellery label Studio Live To Tell, which revels in what she calls “tasteful desi maximalism,” says there has been a fresh wave of interest in her eyewear (or ‘facelets’ as fans now call them), rosette eyes, bombshell earcuffs, and Rani Baug shoulder duster earrings after Tejasswi flaunted them. These pieces are now among the Studio Live to Tell bestsellers, especially the shoulder dusters and the earcuffs.

Meanwhile, many other brands that have been creating jewellery beyond the traditional maang tikkas, jhumkas, and necklace-and-earring sets are now being discovered for bridalwear, parties, and even everyday wear. Here is our guide to help you navigate a new season of bling.

Catch the eye

Bhavya Ramesh, of the eponymous jewellery label, was one of the first Indian designers to explore making sunglasses (₹12,420 onwards) statement pieces. The edginess came from the designs and that it was made of silver. Bhavya says, “I wanted to show that it was doable, wearable and saleable. And it got its following!” These now have fans among both men and women.

Sukriti’s line of ‘facelets’ or what she calls ‘eye candies’(₹6,259 onwards) are versatile and made of brass. “I thought of something for the eyes, since people wear sunglasses, so why not something without lenses? We then made these as 18-carat gold-plated ones. When you wear these, you stand out,” says Sukriti.

Do your hair

Harshita Gautam of the Delhi-based label Diaries of Nomad has an interesting take on hair accessories. “When you dress up, your face makes up 50% of how you look and your hair the other half. So, why wouldn’t you dress up your hair as well?”

It is a whole new world out there for those brave enough for experimentation — bun cuffs or bun cages, hair chains, hair bands and hairpins, parandi, the curiously named ‘headpieces’ and ‘headgear’, and the more traditional maathapatti and passa (worn on the side of the head). Hair accessories now have their own section on jewellery label websites.

A blingy bun cuff or hair chain adds extra drama to the outfit. Bhavya Ramesh has a dedicated section to hair accessories like bobby pins, hair harnesesses and ‘hair drips’ (a modern take on the more traditional maang tikka).

Nikita Gupta, founder of Amama, a Gurugram-based jewellery and accessories label, says, “Hair accessories have been a part of Amama since the very beginning. In fact, it was one of the first things that set us apart. Over time, as people started experimenting with styling, we added new formats — from our Venu to more dramatic hairbands and festive pins. So while it’s not a new category for us, the range has definitely grown with time and trends.”

Venu is a brass chain/string with floral-inspired elements ‘strung’ together that can be wrapped around a bun. It is made of brass (as most of their jewellery and accessories) and faux pearls. Their other bestsellers are hairpins, and parandis.   

Floral accessories

For Nomad, it began as a means of sustainability and slow fashion when Harshita sought a viable way to use the label's fabric waste in 2016. “It was a sustainable solution, plus there was nothing like that in the market. I first made a few pieces, I think five or six, parandis (a hair accessory made of threads, fabric, or beads) and put it out at Dastakar, Delhi.” The parandis flew off the shelf, and Harshita realised she was on to something. Then came the very boho gajra-inspired floral collections made of pure, handwoven fabrics in unusual colours, combinations and products.

More pocket-friendly than fresh flowers, floral accessories made of handwoven fabric look and feel luxurious, last longer, and can be used more than once. Recently, Shanaya Kapoor wore Diaries of Nomad’s cloth shoe charms for a photoshoot.

Apart from fabric hair accessories, Nomad also makes accessories in silver and gold-plated variants, featuring patra-work. Patra is intricately carved jewellery on thin, beaten sheets of silver.

Hair pins, juda pins and hair clips have an old-world charm, ideal for cocktail evenings with that touch of traditional sophistication. “Hair accessorising is nothing new to India. Our mothers and grandmothers had juda pins and ornamental hair clips! Hair accessories went through a dry spell; now, I think they are back to stay,” says Harshita.        

Ishita Gupta, the founder of Vaidaan, which has an extensive collection of hair accessories adds, “Clients today aren’t afraid of going all out with hair accessories. Earlier, it was mostly about gajras or fresh flowers, but now even brides realise that hair can be the most impactful part of accessorising. The trend now is ear-to-ear hair accessories or even a statement parandi.”

One of Vaidaan’s most popular pieces is the hairband-like maathapatti. The accessory came about as a way to deal with bad hair days. “When it went viral, I realised I wasn’t the only one facing the problem. I started making these in different colours and details. When it comes to material, people either go for pearls (which are always trending) or stick to simple designs that go with everything.”  

Vaidaan uses a range of materials — faux florals, beads and shells — for their hair accessories. Shells are the most popular, says Ishita. “It is amazing to see how shells have completely taken over the bridal market, especially for haldi and mehendi. They have become a go-to-choice for brides who want something light and playful.” 

Sukriti says Studio Live To Tell’s hair accessories made of brass has craftsmanship on par with anything made of precious metals, minus the exorbitant prices. One of the first hair accessories she made was the hair band, then came the buns and the maathapattis.

All in the hands 

Pearls, shells, silver or gold-plated, minimal or opulent — the hathphool/hand harnesses, an iteration of the bracelet is also getting more popular. “The hathphool is a kind of bracelet, but I wanted to do something different. I also discovered that it is not an Indian or Asian thing. Even in the West, brides and bridesmaids wear floral corsages, which resemble the haathphool,” says Harshita Gautam of Diaries of Nomad. 

The hathpool has allowed for brands to experiment in their own way. The Diaries of Nomad haathphools are blingy, in patra work wrought in either gold-plated silver or silver. There are designs that either connect all five fingers or just the middle finger. Studio Live to Tell hathphools, meanwhile, are intricately worked, where the traditional meets contemporary design, while the Vaidaan hathphools are dramatic— some chunky with shells and others delicate with pearls and stone work, and even faux flowers and beads perfect for mehendi and haldi.

Interestingly, these are not gendered. In fact, the Bhavya Ramesh ad campaigns use male models. “I don’t assign gender to jewellery, if men want to sport them they can,” she says.

Sukriti adds, “I design for individuals who love art, culture, craft and jewellery more than anything, irrespective of gender. Jewellery is art, and art is not defined by gender.”