A gem of a designer

dubai - Vinita Michael is a brand to be reckoned with in the design industry

Award-winning jewellery designer and gemologist Vinita Michael strives to bring together unique design concepts with intricate craftsmanship in the form of jewellery and lifestyle products.
Born and raised in India, Vinita's designs have been inspired by the rich metal crafts in the Indian subcontinent, including filigree, repousse, chasing, engraving and etching.

"I always believed I had a unique design language to offer. After gaining experience in the industry by working for industry giants back home, my passion was coupled with strong technical knowledge and market understanding," says the founder of Vinita Michael.

With a passion for experimenting with the limitless potential of the metallic surface, Vinita has specialisations in both fine gold set with precious gems and sterling silver jewellery. Her striking pieces have adorned Bollywood celebrities such as Priyanka Chopra, Sonam Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Jacqueline Fernandez.

Beyond developing collections for her own line, Vinita has also worked on specially commissioned projects for international jewellery and high fashion brands such as Tresemme', Bluestone.com, Monsieur Fox, Al Mahmood Pearls, Amrapali Jewels, Anmol Jewellers, the World Gold Council and Mikura Pearls.

Vinita says working with industry giants was invaluable for her creative inspiration and shaping the direction of her career.

"I learnt the importance of following my intuition during design development. It strengthened my technical understanding and I also learnt how to listen to the voice of the consumer," she says.
 
Expansion plans
Vinita recalls that in 2014, she started her venture as a one-woman show with small savings and technical knowledge.

"I wanted to start my own jewellery brand from my first year in college. My first few jobs were primarily for on-the-job training and saving enough money to start the brand," she explains.

"I am lucky to be backed by an amazing team which includes manufacturers, publicists, sales representatives, digital marketing representatives and also interns," says Vinita.

She believes that it is just the beginning of her brand and she is concentrating on delivering the best jewellery designs. "Our expansion will be more from a geographical perspective. We are actively looking to expand our footprint into Europe and the United States," she says.
 
UAE, a land of opportunities
Vinita says the UAE design industry is in its infancy but growing at an amazing pace.

"We collaborate with internationally renowned fashion brands and design houses that allow us to engage with the design community, not just in the UAE but also the rest of the world," she says.

"We also hire independent design professionals, both within the UAE and internationally, thereby adding to the opportunities available in the UAE design industry," she adds.

Vinita feels that the startup environment in the UAE offers huge opportunities. "The market is not saturated and I believe a combination of the right aesthetics and pricing will help open up the market. The government also has some great initiatives to promote startups, specifically in the design field," she says.

However, she says, getting financing in the beginning is a bit difficult, but once it is solved, there are no hurdles to achieving success.

Who's behind her success?
Vinita attributes her success to her family, "especially my husband who has been my pillar of strength from the start, my mentors in the industry and my amazing team."

"Our success has been driven by two key factors - innovative design and concentrated investment into our digital strategy," says Vinita.

She encourages young entrepreneurs to get rid of fears and follow their dreams with belief and conviction. "The most important advice to fellow entrepreneurs is to always believe in yourself. Hard work and perseverance is a given," she concludes.

- riaz@khaleejtimes.com