The creator of exquisite jewellery from the House of Tata, Zoya makes its foray into South India with a flagship boutique in Bangalore’s most iconic luxury hub. Over the last decade, this luxury Maison, with artistry and craftsmanship at its core, has been redefining the way fine jewellery is experienced in India.
Located in the ‘it’ neighbourhood of Vittal Mallya Road in the heart of the city, all 3300 square feet of this boutique speak with a quiet eloquence of a love for fine jewellery, a deep appreciation of the handcrafted and bespoke, and above all a reverence for the sheer artistry that goes into the creation of each resplendent finished piece; a perfect union of design originality with age-old techniques of jewellery creation.
With its walls corniced in delicate shades of white and blush, the facade of this homegrown brand is stately yet inviting. The visual language is contemporary and modern while doffing its hat ever so subtly to the power of the artisanal. Walking up the marble steps leading to the entrance, there is a sense of awe that mingles with anticipation about what awaits inside.
A spreading chandelier of blown glass in honeyed hues of amber and blush hangs over the entrance area, the falling drop-like shapes luminous and plentiful. A quaint and poetic expression of life’s ability to create and diversify, it sets the tone for the rest of the boutique experience, as one discovers details large and small that have been created exclusively for Zoya.
The high foyer area under the chandelier’s warm glow allows for absolute silence; a space in which to soak in the ambience of the lush, feminine interiors. The juxtaposition of this softness and restraint with its layered complexity, one realizes, hints at the inner layers of the Zoya world; minimal yet intricate, effortless yet crafted.
Smoothly painted in shades of white, the softly coved walls are refreshingly bare but for the leggy plinths where the first pieces of wearable, highly contemporary jewellery are displayed. One takes a deep breath before being greeted warmly by the jewellery advisor, and subsequently whisked away on a wondrous walk through the boutique and its bejeweled secrets. The diamond section is a circle of pure white light over a round display in cool grey, enhancing the sparkle of these exquisitely selected pieces in the finest of settings.
There is a sense of discovery in seeing the two niches on the right flank of the space, as one moves from the wearable through the more expressive collections all the way to the most prized high value pieces where the finest of diamonds and coloured stones are formed into jewellery of exquisite beauty. One after the other, these niches reveal themselves, the faceted mirrors in the corners rimmed in the brand’s signature rose gold. Plush, roomy chairs specially designed for Zoya invite the visitor to spend time with the friendly advisors, admiring and enquiring about the jewellery, setting a leisurely pace.
Offering an island of creative immersion and self-expression in the centre of the boutique’s linear floor plan is the Bespoke Area, where clients interact with the brand’s jewellery designers to co-create custom pieces of art flowing into fine jewellery. It is here that one senses the pulsating heart of the brand, where inspiration, ideas and conversations are all thrown into the melting furnace from where the finest designs emerge. With curved separators on either side, this space forms a semi-private niche cleverly cordoned off from the rest of the boutique, striking just the right balance of exclusivity and openness.
Everything one sees and experiences on this heady journey leads to the ultimate piece de resistance, the Private Lounge. Set in hues of blush at the far end of the boutique, its sheer curtains revealing as much as they conceal, is the exclusive space that clients are invited to for the ultimate in customer experience; conversations about jewellery over a cup of hand brewed filter coffee and fresh hors d’oeuvres. The plush wall paneling and soft carpet are stunningly contrasted by the Art Deco-inspired centre seating in shades of creamy white, with the signature faceted mirrors returning once again to remind the Zoya woman that she is indeed at the heart of this dramatic story.
The brand’s expression is global as its soul is Indian. Finding inspiration in history, art, architecture and cuisine, the narrative weaves textured stories that find their way into our souls, transporting the visitor to the falling Chinar leaves of the Kashmir Valley, bringing alive the mesmerizing architecture of Italy or the nostalgia and glamour of Hollywood’s golden eras.
Patrons of the age-old methods of Indian karigari, Zoya prides itself on designs that give contemporary form to traditional craft. From the most stringent selection and sourcing of precious stones such as Emerald, Ruby, Tanzanite to unusual stones such as Rutilated Quartz, Peridot, Yellow Citrine; Zoya’s pieces are brought to life by the steadiest of hands and sharpest of eyes.
Just as each piece of jewellery is created to a vision, so each detail of the boutique is a labour of love by designers and local artisans. The display windows are adorned with finely crafted paper art telling the stories of the inspiration behind each piece. Elements from Zoya’s numerous inspirations are subtly embroidered onto rhythmic screens that help create private niches within the larger space. At Zoya, no detail is too small, no story too insignificant.
“Zoya is a brand with its heart in India and an eye on the world”, says Business Head, Amanpreet Ahluwalia. “Zoya’s collections are inspired by myriad journeys, from the ones that take you across the world to the ones that help you discover your own feminine self. The creative process of each jewellery piece can take up to a year from the idea to bringing it alive, resulting in artistic masterpieces, each with its own story to tell. Having received a wonderful response from the North and West of India, we couldn’t have found a location for our Bangalore boutique that resonated more perfectly with the brand.”
With its aura of a gallery of fine art, it is easy to forget that one is after all in a jewellery boutique. The masterful craftsmanship, inspired design and a rich legacy of rare jewellery all uniting to form the different facets of this one elusive jewel, Zoya may just be India’s answer to timeless luxury.
To walk through the high doors of the Zoya boutique in Bangalore, is to discover that this ultimate experience in luxury can indeed wear a warm and friendly smile.
